Workflow Redesign Part 2

NURS 6421: Supporting Workflow in Healthcare Organizations

This document contains the details of the Course Project for this course. You are encouraged to save it to your hard drive and print it for your reference.

Introduction to the Course Project The systems development life cycle (SDLC) is a long-term, iterative process that helps guide key stages of workflow redesign and the integration of health care informatics within organizations. This course includes a multipart project for which you will apply specific steps and components of the SDLC to a specific workflow issue within your organization or an organization with which you are familiar.

The Course Project includes significant focus on “meaningful use,” a major component of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. Therefore, the workflow issue that you select MUST involve the use of an electronic health record (EHR) system. This could be related to improving how a current EHR system adheres to one or more meaningful use standards, or, if your organization does not yet have an EHR system, your workflow issue could be related to integrating a new EHR system into the current workflow. If you have questions about appropriate workflow issues, consult your Instructor. You will conduct your gap analysis, making observations and gathering data during Week 6, which is a “quiet week”, meaning there will be no Discussion or Assignments due that week. In Week 7, you will refine your workflow issue based on the results from your gap analysis and the feedback you receive from your Instructor.

The Course Project also requires that you learn how to diagram a workflow process, using the diagramming feature in Microsoft Word or a diagraming software of your choice. Diagrams or flowcharts are commonly used to map workflow and to assist with workflow redesign. Your Week 5 Assignment will include a preliminary draft of the current-state workflow. Use the feedback you get from that Assignment to ensure that you are familiar with how to construct a workflow using diagram software. Review the diagraming Learning Resources in Week 5 for more information. In addition to the feedback you receive from your Instructor, you will also receive feedback from your colleagues on a workflow diagram in the Week 9 Discussion. Therefore, you will create a draft of the future-state workflow diagram and post it by Day 1 of Week 9 to allow everyone the opportunity to review the workflows ahead of the Week 9 Discussion.

The Course Project includes the following major deliverables:

 Part 1—Gap Analysis Plan, due in Week 5

 Part 2—Workflow Redesign Part 1, due in Week 7

 Part 3—Workflow Redesign Part 2, due in Week 10*

*Note: You will turn in final drafts of Course Project Parts 1 and 2 along with Part 3 in Week 10. The completed project will serve as the Portfolio Assignment for the course. Only Part 3 will be scored for your Week 10 Assignment grade in the Grade Center.

Begin preparing for your Course Project now. Consider possible workflow issues that you would like to explore within your organization. In addition, begin exploring the diagramming feature in Microsoft Word or the diagramming software of your choice in preparation for the two workflow deliverables in the Course Project.

If you are not currently working in a health care organization, in order to meet the requirements of this course and this project, you will need to locate an organization in your area. This may be an organization for which you have worked in the past or an organization with which you are familiar. You will need access to interview and observe individuals in the organization. If you have questions or concerns regarding these requirements and how you will complete them, contact your Instructor in this course as soon as possible to determine the most appropriate way to proceed with the Course Project.

Part 1—Gap Analysis Plan You create a gap analysis plan to acquire information about the specific EHR workflow issue in your organization or in one with which you are familiar.

To prepare:

 Identify the workflow issue you would like to explore throughout your Course Project. This should be a specific task about which you have sufficient content knowledge and access to describe and analyze in detail. Your workflow issue MUST be related to EHRs and be significantly tied to one or more meaningful use objectives. The workflow issue may be related to either the optimization of an existing EHR system or the implementation of an entirely new EHR system. If you do not have a professional scenario to use, you may create one or ask a colleague for ideas.

 Establish your goals for conducting your gap analysis. These goals describe why you are conducting the gap analysis, the workflow issue you are pinpointing, and what you hope to accomplish in examining this issue.

 Determine how you will collect data about the current workflow you are exploring for the Course Project. For example, you may choose to observe people as they move through the workflow, ask people about their experiences, confer with managers and leaders about their involvement, refer to your organization’s training manual or other informative documents, etc. Be sure to use more than one data collection method and observe or consult with more than one person to ensure that the information you gather is balanced.

 As you write your paper, begin drafting the current-state workflow based on your preliminary knowledge (no outside information needed) in Microsoft Word or the diagramming software of your choice. Include swimlanes showing, to the best of your knowledge, who is responsible for each step in the workflow.

To complete:

Write a 3- to 4-page Gap Analysis Plan that addresses the following:

 Introduce the workflow issue you will be addressing in the Assignment. Explain how this workflow issue is tied to EHRs. Identify the specific meaningful use objective(s) related to the workflow issue.

 Analyze the workflow issue IOM six aims of care (patient-centered, timely,

effective, efficient, equitable, and safe).

 List 2–3 goals you have set for your gap analysis and what you hope to accomplish by examining the workflow you selected.

 Describe your methods of data collection and the individuals you will observe, consult, and/or interview. Include any relevant narrative statements, checklists, interview questions, or other tools you commonly use to collect data in a workflow analysis.

 Explain how you will minimize disruption in the workflow during observations and how you will avoid bias as you conduct your gap analysis.

 Describe how you will record, quantify, and analyze the data you collect. Explain how you will establish baseline metrics to normalize data from different sources of information.

 Illustrate your current-state workflow. Your draft should include your preliminary knowledge about the primary steps and activities within your workflow. In addition, include a swimlane (flowchart) showing who is responsible for each step, and use the appropriate diagramming symbols within your draft.

 Support your plan by synthesizing and integrating at least two outside resources and two of the provided Resources. Include a reference list with APA-formatted citations of the resources you used.

Your Gap Analysis Plan, including the current-state workflow draft, is due by Day 7 of Week 5.

Part 2—Workflow Redesign Part 1

You finalize your draft of the current-state workflow diagram using the information you collect during your gap analysis.

To prepare:

 Analyze the data you gathered and whether or not it meets the goals and objectives you set in your Gap Analysis Plan (Part 1 of the Course Project).

 Interpret the meanings and implications of the data you collected.

 Examine your draft of the current-state workflow. Consider how the draft aligns with the data you collected in your gap analysis.

 Begin revising your draft of the current-state workflow based on your gap analysis. Remember to update the information in the swimlane. In addition, prepare to write a detailed description of your workflow diagram.

To complete:

In a 3- to 4-page paper, respond to the following:

 Summarize the results of your gap analysis and how they address the goals you set in your Week 5 Assignment. Identify the issues (gaps) within the current workflow.

 Explain how the issues you identified relate to electronic health records (EHRs) and one or more meaningful use objectives.

 Present your finalized model of the current-state workflow, refined based on the information gathered in your gap analysis. Be sure to copy/embed the actual image of your model, rather than just provide a link to the model.

 Describe in detail the final version of your model of the current-state workflow. Include in your description an explanation of the swimlanes (who completes each step). In addition, identify where the workflow gaps exist.

 Support your workflow model by synthesizing and integrating at least two outside resources and two course-specific Resources. Include a reference list with APA- formatted citations of the resources you used.

Your Workflow Redesign Part 1 Assignment is due by Day 7 of Week 7.

Part 3—Workflow Redesign Part 2 and Finalized Course Project You apply what you have learned about workflow throughout this course by redesigning the workflow. You create a future-state workflow model that provides a solution to the workflow issues you have identified.

To prepare:

 Review the results of your gap analysis and your workflow model of the current- state workflow (Part 2 of the Course Project).

 Reflect on the most significant issue revealed by your gap analysis and workflow model. Identify possible EHR-related solutions to this workflow issue.

 Select one solution that relates to EHRs and meaningful use.

 Begin developing a new workflow model that incorporates the solution you selected. This model does not need to be extremely complicated, but it must clearly show how your EHR solution fits into the workflow. You will need to prepare of draft of this model by Day 1 of Week 9 in order to participate in the Week 9 Discussion. During this Discussion, you will give and receive feedback from your peers and your Instructor on your model.

 Outline a use case that illustrates the details of each step in your future-state workflow in a real-world scenario.

 Consider the organizational changes that would be necessary to make the transition from the current-state to the future-state workflow. For example, how would organizational and departmental buy-in be obtained, and how would training and support for staff be provided?

 Examine possible implementation strategies for integrating your redesigned workflow into the current workflow.

To complete:

In a 3- to 4-page paper, address the following:

 Explain the proposed solution you selected, how it addresses the major gap you identified in the current state workflow, and how it is related to operational efficiency.

 Provide your future-state workflow model. The solution you would implement to address gap(s) in the current-state workflow should be clear within your new model. Be sure to copy/embed the actual image of your model, rather than just provide a link to the model.

 Create a detailed use case of a real-world scenario that shows the steps of the future-state workflow you developed and discuss how it would be used in a real- world setting.

 Outline the major steps and organizational changes that would be necessary to transition from the current state to the future-state workflow.

 Explain one potential implementation strategy for the redesigned workflow that would be useful for this project. Justify the strategy’s appropriateness for your workflow and practice setting, as well as the thought process regarding this strategy.

 Explain how organizational structure or culture can affect the long-term success of a project implemented to improve workflow.

 Select 2–3 specific factors or issues and explain how they might impact the successful long-term implementation of a project. Identify at least one strategy for addressing each factor or issue you selected.

 Support your workflow redesign by synthesizing and integrating at least two outside resources and two of the provided Resources. Include a reference list with APA-formatted citations of the resources you used.

Finally:

 Combine your paper above with final drafts of the following: o Part 1—Gap Analysis Plan o Part 2—Workflow Redesign Part 1

Note: The completed project, Parts 1–3, will serve as the Portfolio Assignment for the course. Only Part 3 will be scored for your Week 10 Assignment grade in the Grade Center.

Your finalized Assignment, Course Project Parts 1–3, is due by Day 7 of Week 10.