MHA FPX 5016 Assessment 1 Analysis of Electronic Health Records

Student Name

Capella University

MHA-FPX 5016 Introduction to Health Information Systems

Prof. Name

Date

Introduction

Meaningful Use (MU) in healthcare signifies the strategic utilization of electronic health records (EHRs) to enhance patient care, safety, and efficiency. This approach involves leveraging EHR technology to improve healthcare quality and outcomes while adhering to specific criteria set by regulatory authorities. MU is vital for contemporary healthcare systems as it encourages standardized practices, supports data-driven decision-making, and boosts patient engagement.

Independence Medical Center’s Current State of Compliance

Independence Medical Center has achieved compliance with EHR implementation to meet meaningful use objectives. The primary EHR system at the center is Opus, deployed in 2008. However, despite Opus being the central EHR system, it lacks integration with other critical systems such as PACS, CPOE, the pharmacy system, and the lab system.

EHR Issues

Administration

The center confronts several administrative challenges with EHR usage, including issues with billing, supply charge discrepancies, wireless syncing problems, and the extensive training required due to the use of multiple systems.

Clinical Management and Staff

Clinical staff experience difficulties with EHRs not effectively interfacing with other systems, causing problems in accessing results and managing multiple systems concurrently. Additionally, inadequate support for workflow processes leads to incomplete and unreliable documentation.

MHA FPX 5016 Assessment 1 Analysis of Electronic Health Records

Upgrades and Improvements

To address these issues, the center plans to implement upgrades and improvements that align with MU and the HITECH Act. These enhancements include adopting a more user-friendly EHR system with better integration capabilities, ensuring seamless communication between various systems, and streamlining documentation processes.

EHR Improvements/Upgrades

Several specific improvements and upgrades are proposed to enhance EHR functionality, including:

Proposed Improvement	Description
Single Screen View	Consolidating information into one screen
Previous Data Integration	Automatically pulling previous patient data into current visits
Note Prepopulation	Prepopulating notes with relevant information
Data Entry Hard Stops	Implementing hard stops for required data fields
Abnormal Information Highlighting	Using different text colors to highlight abnormal information
Automatic Test Results Recording	Automatically recording test results
Drug Interaction and Allergy Alerts	Providing alerts for drug interactions and allergies

Approaches for Keeping Compliance

To maintain compliance with MU requirements, the center plans to conduct yearly training sessions, continually promote MU goals, gradually transition away from paper-based processes, and foster open communication among staff members.

References

Capella University. (n.d.). Vila Health Activity Analysis of an EHR System. Retrieved from [link]

Joneidy, S., & Burke, M. (2019). Towards a deeper understanding of meaningful use in electronic health records. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 36(2), 134-152. [DOI]

Mustaq, F. (2015). Ensuring EHR compliance for meaningful use. Health Management Technology, 36(7), 16-17. [DOI]

Roman, L., Ancker, J., Johnson, S., & Senathirajah, Y. (2017). Navigation in the electronic health record: A review of the safety and usability literature. Journal of Biomedical Information, (67). [DOI]