Organizational Change
INTRODUCTION
Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) are “a system that integrates electronically originated and maintained patient-level clinical information, derived from multiple sources, into one point of access” (Kazley, 2007, p. 375). I would like to propose an organizational change to implement this documentation at the Home Health Agency where I am employed. This paper will address the need for EMR, barriers to change, factors that might influence implementation of an EMR, organizational readiness for the change, the theoretical model that relates to implanting EMRs, resources available to support the change, and methods used to monitor implementation of the EMR.
THE NEED FOR ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS
There is a great need to implement EMRs in the Home Health Agency where I am employed. The rationale for this change is related to improving patient safety, efficiency of the Agency, financial reimbursement, effective communication, and patient outcomes. Paper documentation is no longer efficient or readily accessible to all Clinicians. An EMR will standardize medical terms, decrease documentation errors, improve coordination of patient care and allow all employees in the Agency to access the same database of patient information, therefore enhancing continuity of care between disciplines (Kunz, 2010).
According to Tillett (2012), President Obama hopes to computerize the nation’s health records in five years, saving the nation billions of dollars in health care costs. In an effort to support this transition, the government has allocated $20 billion to enable healthcare institutions to develop and implement health information systems. There is currently no mandate for the use of EMRs, but there are financial incentives for compliance to encourage health care organizations to implement it by 2015. My Agency is making the transition for these reasons.
BARRIERS TO CHANGE According to Kunz (2010), there may be several potential barriers to
Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) are “a system that integrates electronically originated and maintained patient-level clinical information, derived from multiple sources, into one point of access” (Kazley, 2007, p. 375). I would like to propose an organizational change to implement this documentation at the Home Health Agency where I am employed. This paper will address the need for EMR, barriers to change, factors that might influence implementation of an EMR, organizational readiness for the change, the theoretical model that relates to implanting EMRs, resources available to support the change, and methods used to monitor implementation of the EMR.
THE NEED FOR ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS
There is a great need to implement EMRs in the Home Health Agency where I am employed. The rationale for this change is related to improving patient safety, efficiency of the Agency, financial reimbursement, effective communication, and patient outcomes. Paper documentation is no longer efficient or readily accessible to all Clinicians. An EMR will standardize medical terms, decrease documentation errors, improve coordination of patient care and allow all employees in the Agency to access the same database of patient information, therefore enhancing continuity of care between disciplines (Kunz, 2010).
According to Tillett (2012), President Obama hopes to computerize the nation’s health records in five years, saving the nation billions of dollars in health care costs. In an effort to support this transition, the government has allocated $20 billion to enable healthcare institutions to develop and implement health information systems. There is currently no mandate for the use of EMRs, but there are financial incentives for compliance to encourage health care organizations to implement it by 2015. My Agency is making the transition for these reasons.
BARRIERS TO CHANGE According to Kunz (2010), there may be several potential barriers to
References: Borkowski, N. (2005). Organizational behavior in health care. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Gjevjon, E. R., & Helleso, R. (2009, March). The quality of home care nurse ' documentation in new electronic patient records. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 100-104. Kazley, A., Ozcan, Y. (2007). Organizational and Environmental Determinants of Hospital EMR Adoption: A National Study Klein, C. A. (2011, January). Electronic Health Records 101. The Nurse Practitioner, 36 (1), 15-18 Kunz, M. (2010, August/Sept). Embracing the Electronic Medical Record. Noah, P. (2011). Implementing Electronic Documentation. Critical Care Nurse Quarterly, 34(3), 208-212. Owens, K. (2008, March/April). EMR Implementation: Big Bang or a Phased Approach? Medical Practice Management, 279-281. Spector, B. (2010). Implementing organizational change: Theory into practice (2nd ed). Tillett, J. (2012, October/December). Implementing the Electronic Medical Record: Building on Success. The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing, 26(4), 284-285