What factors contribute to IT project failures?
Factors that contribute to IT project failures include poor communication, a poorly defined problem, poor planning, wrong use of technology, little testing, poor project management, resource constraints and trying to cut corners to save money. To prevent resource constraints, it’s imperative for the project manager to properly assess the area of human resource management. In addition, the project manager should ensure clear problem identification and proper planning before project implementation. The project manager should also work well with other stakeholders ensuring proper communication. For example, in case there are changes from the original plan, the project manager should ensure that all stakeholders receive memos regarding the change. Instead of cutting corners to save resources, a project manager should control the provided resources to effectively meet the project goals.
What are common ways to measure the benefits of information technology as they relate to quality initiatives in health care?
From a structural point of view, technology in healthcare influences what is probable in terms of organizational structure by eliminating physical and geographical barriers. Using structure, the benefits of IT can be measures by assessing the effectiveness of organizational structure after its implementation. For example, in third world countries, benefits of IT can be measured by gauging the effectiveness of text message communications to reach patients and beneficiaries. Benefits of data can also be measured using outcomes. Data stored in HIS can be used as a source of secondary data during studies and analysis. For example, health informatics can be used to calculate the rates of infant mortality in the state. The quality of care is an indicator of the benefits of IT in healthcare. For example, when a doctor is able to retrieve a patient’s medical records promptly its demonstrates the advantages of IT.
What is the most important critical success factor when implementing an IT initiative? Why?
Understanding the project personnel is a critical factor during the project implementation. Project personnel include full-time or part-time employees tasked with working on the HIS project or outside consultants such as vendors and contractors (University of Phoenix, n.d.). It is imperative for the project manager to understand the responsibilities and roles of the various personnel involved in the HIS project. Poor human resource management in this area could jeopardize the sustainability of the project. For example, failure to understand the responsibilities of vendors as stipulated in the contract could lead to their under-performance. People tend to respond to penalties and incentives, therefore, while dealing with the project personnel, the project manager can result to either.
Explore the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) website. and discuss
HRSA is a federal agency whose main aim is to improve the access to healthcare services to medically vulnerable, uninsured and isolated individuals. The HRSA website is meant to support this function. Individuals seeking HRSA services can access information required information from HRSA program areas. The site bridges physical barriers because it allows individuals from every part of the country to access the information that would have otherwise been inaccessible without making a visit to their offices. In addition, the website provides data that can be used in scientific studies. For example, the organ donor statistics on the website (HRSA, n.d.) can be used in a study to calculate the people who die annually awaiting organ donation.
Benefits of Health IT
IT increases effectiveness in health care information systems. Electronic health records reduce a patient’s paper work since the doctors are able to have more information as soon as a patient arrives (HealthIT.gov, n.d.). EHRs also make it easy to share accurate information to other care providers who might need it eliminating room for medical mistakes. EHRs make it easy for all the specialists a patient is seeing to coordinate your care and safeguard your health (HealthIT.gov, n.d.). Electronic health records make available a patient’s medical test, reducing unnecessary repeat tests. Finally, EHRs give a patient direct access to their medical records helping one to keep better track of their health.
Discussion of the health professional reading
The usage of health information by professionals is affected by the job, usage timing and work place. For example, nurses and public health officials are more likely to access EHRs than doctors working in the children emergency section (Vest & Jasperson, 2011). Measuring usage using the five types of usage and usage variation provides a better understanding of usage behavior. The study recommended way to provide better information provisions in HIS such as creating default views based work location or work type. As concerns privacy of health information, the study recommended usage new tools to analyze system user logs that provide compulsory audit trail (Vest & Jasperson, 2011).
Summary
IT is important to the quality of services provided by healthcare providers because it increases effectiveness. As such, the healthcare sector is investing in IT projects to improve the quality of their services. Effective project management is imperative to the success of the IT project starting from the planning to the implementation stage of the project. During the implementation phase, it is important for project managers to ensure that they are aware of the roles and responsibilities of all project personnel. Finally, the aim of HIS is to avail health information as required in and technology makes it easier to achieve this goal in an effective way.
References
HealthIT.gov (n.d.). Benefits of health IT
Health Resources & Services Administration Retrieved from https://www.hrsa.gov/index.html
University of phoenix (n.d.). Essentials of health information systems
Vest, J. R., & Jasperson, J. (2011). How are health professionals using health information exchange systems? Measuring usage for evaluation and system improvement. J Med Syst 36, 3195-3204