IT discus 5

3

Denise

HIT sounds like IT but differs in various aspects. IT strategies of an organization are aligned with its organizational/business strategies. Differentiate between HIT and IT strategies with respect to their similarities and dissimilarities.

	Health Information Technology (HIT)	Information Technology (IT)
Definition	Electronic environment used to store, process and exchange health information.  The goal of HIT is to expand access, reduce costs, prevent errors and improve quality. The information must be stored and shared with security and privacy held in the highest regard (HHS, 2020).	Any equipment such as computers, software and other equipment used to store, manipulate, manage display, control and interchange data by an agency or contractor (NIST, 2022).
Strategies	The strategies for HIT include building a secure database to improve research and innovation, promote wellness and health, connect healthcare and data through an interoperable system, and to enhance experience and delivery of care (HealthIT, 2022). https://www.healthit.gov/topic/2020-2025-federal-health-it-strategic-plan/comments-summary	The strategies for IT include identifying the objective, internal and external analysis, define benefits, risks and return on investment to be competitive and increase bottom line values (HHS, 2020).
Similarities	· HIT requires IT technology to perform its functions. · Both are used to store and share data via an electronic interchange.  · Both include interoperability of data. · Both ensure secure database storage.
Differences	· Primary focus of HIT includes patient safety and quality of care. · HIT has government regulation related to privacy and safety that is punishable by HIPAA law if breached · IT secures company and client information within the system · HIT must be secure for the company and business associates by HIPAA regulation

HIT Governance Effectiveness Survey

(Rate the following on a scale of 1 to 5)

1= No/Never

2= Slightly

3= Sometimes/Somewhat

4=Mostly

5=Always/Yes

 

Question	1	2	3	4	5
Do you feel that the HIT currently in use collects useful quality data
Do you feel that your current HIT protects patient privacy
Do you feel that the EHR used in the current HIT is user friendly
Do you feel that the current system has interoperability with other systems
Do you feel that the current HIT system allows easy patient access to records
Is patient billing accurate and timely
Has the quality data collection improved patient outcomes
Is the current system equitable
Has the current system increased employee productivity
Are patient care practices safer because of HIT and EHR

How would I distribute the survey?

The above survey would be shared via an electronic survey.  This could be conducted in SurveyMonkey with a QR code to encourage greater feedback that could be conducted in a convenient and private manner.

Rationale for each question:

1. Data collection improves quality and safety

2. Ensure compliance with HIPAA

3. If EHR is not user friendly it increases workload for employees

4. Must be able to share lab, prescription, and patient records with other providers to ensure continuity of care.

5. Patients must have access to real-time medical records as a result of the Cures Act.

6. Accurate and timely billing is imperative to maximize reimbursement and to ensure compliance with CMS billing practices

7. Has the data collected helped to increase harm risks.  Has it reduced CLABSI, CAUTI and HAI? 

8. Is the system fair to all stakeholders.  Is the data collected used for patient care regardless of background.

9. Does the system improve patient ability to do their job effectively. Does it give them all the tools they need to be successful in an efficient and effective manner.

10. Has the new system  reduced user error and limited such harmful events as medication errors?

References

HealthIT. (2020).  Summary of public comment draft 2020-2025 federal health IT strategic plan.  Retrieved:  https://www.healthit.gov/topic/2020-2025-federal-health-it-strategic-plan/comments-summary

HHS. (2020).  Health information technology.  Retrieved:  https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/special-topics/health-information-technology/index.html

NIST. (2022). Information technology. CSRC. Retrieved:  https://csrc.nist.gov/glossary/term/information_technology

Susan

Information Technology Versus Health Information Technology Strategies 

Strategy	IT	HIT
Strategic Alignment	Businesses use IT to support daily functions, which contributes to goals/objectives (Glandon et al., 2020).	HIT must support the strategic goals/objectives of the healthcare organization by improving quality and safety to yield a competitive edge (Glandon et al., 2020).
Risk Management	Businesses must ensure that IT systems are compliant with regulations, including risk awareness and identification (Glandon et al., 2020)	HIT systems must comply with regulations, including security regulations, to protect patients’ Private Health Information (Glandon et al., 2020). Security of HIT systems should include limited access, security training for staff, and risk assessments (Glandon et al., 2020).
Resource Management	Ensuring IT meets the needs of the business (Glandon et al., 2020).	HIT systems are interoperable, allowing for the sharing of patient health information (Glandon et al., 2020).
Performance Measurement	Businesses use data to improve IT systems (Glandon et al., 2020).	HIT systems require updates/changes to remain relevant and support organizational goals/objectives (Glandon et al., 2020).
Value Delivery	Ensuring IT yields the anticipated return on investment (RoI) (Glandon et al., 2020).	Traditional RoI cannot be applied to HIT because it includes more than just a financial value (reduced costs, increased productivity). HIT value also consists of clinical (patient outcomes) and organizational (reduced risks) value (Glandon et al., 2020).

  

 

Ten Surveyor Questions for Leadership in the Evaluation of an Organizations Information Governance  

Survey Scale 1 – 5 

1 – Strongly disagree 

2 – Somewhat disagree 

3 – Neither agree nor disagree 

4 – Somewhat agree 

5 – Strongly agree 

The organization uses HIT to support its strategic goals and objectives. 

The purpose of this question is to confirm that HIT is being used to support the organization's goals and objectives. An effective HIT governance plan utilizes HIT to accomplish organizational goals and objectives (Assured GRC, n.d.). Also, the best way to realize the actual value of HIT investments is through achieving objectives, such as improved patient safety, reduced costs, and enhanced quality of care (Glandon et al., 2020). 

Personnel and their roles in HIT governance are well defined. 

The purpose of this question is to ensure that appropriate personnel are involved in the governance process and that their roles designate areas of responsibility (Glandon et al., 2020). For example, the Chief Information Officer (CIO) should be involved in determining policies and procedures for HIT governance. Still, a committee may be beneficial for HIT change management and process improvement decisions (Glandon et al., 2020). 

Employees are trained in the processes used to access, protect, store, discard, and share Private Health Information (PHI). 

The purpose of this question is to ensure that staff who have access to Private Health Information (PHI) understand that this information is an asset to the organization, as it is used to treat patients, but it also must be managed in a manner that reduces risks to organizational success (Assured GRC, n.d.). 

Employees are held accountable for following HIT governance policies. 

The purpose of this question is to ensure that there are policies to address the misuse of data which can have financial, legal, and reputational implications to an organization (Glandon et al., 2020). Policies should include tiered disciplinary actions leading up to termination.  

The organization has clearly defined policies and procedures for HIT implementation. 

The purpose of this question is to see if there is a process the organization follows such as the SDLC when implementing HIT. It is important for organizations to be able to pinpoint HIT required to meet objectives, implement HIT according to plan, and verify that the system is operating as expected to achieve the desired outcomes (Glandon et al., 2020).  

The organization uses a certified EHR to ensure that data exchange occurs within the organization and with other health systems, insurance companies, medical supply chains, and/or other vendors. 

For data exchange to occur, there must be a standard format or coding system (Glandon et al., 2020). Data exchange is critical to interoperability and meeting requirements established by HIPPA for Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement (Glandon et al., 2020).  

The organization has a policy for acquiring hardware, software, and network equipment, including approval workflows. 

Organizations must have policies associated with acquiring required components to support their HIT. These policies must describe the approval process, which is important to ensure new components are compatible with existing HIT systems and can be supported by HIT employees (Glandon et al., 2020).  

The organization has an effective method of managing HIT infrastructure to ensure interoperability. 

HIT infrastructure must be managed according to the organization's HIT plan to ensure that information systems can be integrated (Glandon et al., 2020). System integration is critical to meeting the quality standards determined by regulatory bodies such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).  

Internal audits are performed to ensure employees are following data-related access rules and regulations. 

It is important that data governance be transparent, and that decisions, processes, and controls can be audited to ensure compliance with rules and regulations (Glandon et al., 2020). For example, if the organization has rules against employees accessing their medical records, there must be an audit process to detect noncompliance. In addition, in compliance with HIPAA, employees should not access any PHI unrelated to their jobs. Therefore, employees who access co-workers' PHI are noncompliant and should face disciplinary action. 

The organization has an effective process for change management/process improvement? 

It is critical to have a process to manage changes to HIT systems (Glandon et al., 2020). Changes may be quality-driven, and the Plan Do Check Act (PDCA) cycle may be implemented. With the PDCA cycle, change is typically made on a smaller scale first to allow the organization to resolve any problems before implementing them on a larger scale. Change management and process improvements allow the organization a strategic advantage over the competition (Glandon et al., 2020). 

Survey Administration 

There are different methods for administering surveys, including self-administration versus group administration. In this case, we will use self-administration because it has several advantages. To begin, the respondent can choose to take the survey at the most convenient time (Edwards et al., 1997). In addition, self-administration maintains anonymity, improving the likeliness of truthful responses (Edwards et al., 1997). There are downsides to self-administration, including a lower overall completion rate, but self-administration remains the method of choice when surveying specialized groups, such as the organization's senior leadership (Edwards et al., 1997). 

In addition to choosing a self-administered survey, this survey will also be delivered and completed electronically via an e-mailed link. Paper surveys that are mailed to participants' homes are time-consuming to assemble (Edwards et al., 2020). In addition to the time savings, electronically e-mailed surveys provide faster results than waiting for respondents to return their survey by mail (Edwards et al., 1997). While there are advantages and disadvantages to each survey method and delivery, the choice is to proceed with self-administered electronic surveys sent via an emailed link.  

References 

Assured GRC. (n.d.). 6 Main components of information governance. Assured GRC.  https://assuredgrc.com/6-main-components-of-information-governance-framework/  

Edwards, J., Thomas, M., Rosenfeld, P., & Booth-Kewley., S. (1997). How to conduct organizational surveys: A step-by-step guide. SAGE Publications, Inc. 

Glandon, G., Slovensky, D., & Smaltz, D. (2020). Information technology for healthcare managers (9th ed.). AUPHA/HAP Book.