Name
Capella University
NURS-FPX8012: Nursing Technology and Health Care Information Systems
Prof Name
September, 2024
SAFER Guides and Evaluating Technology Usage
An advanced electronic health record (EHR) system infused with clinical decision support (CDS) tools will be proposed for implementation (Wu et al., 2020). The purpose of upgrading it will be to enhance patient care, simplify workflow, and provide real-time clinical decision-making in support. Evidence-based alerts, reminders, and guidelines are available within the professional’s reach, hence empowering the professional while making decisions at critical points in care. This will, therefore, minimize errors, better care coordination, and ensure uniform application of the care processes. Technology will also help in automating simple jobs and have these support tools run directly in the workflow.
The EHR will further strive to protect patients’ health information through the application of privacy and security standards for instance also implement the CURES Act to ensure proper access to health information for providers as well as patients (Keshta & Odeh, 2021). Secure data sharing, improved provider-patient communication, and improved availability of a patient’s health records for timely access are expected in the system. This not only improves the overall effectiveness of delivering care but also encourages the patient to take responsibility and trust because the patients hold a lot of the responsibility for managing their health-related information.
Proposed Technology Implementation
The proposed technology to be used is an enhanced EHR with the added capabilities of CDS. It would enhance patient safety and care quality through real-time, evidence-based alerts and reminders within a clinician’s workflow (Zhai et al., 2022). This will help in the decision-making skills of clinicians as the CDS tools will offer recommendations regarding the newest applicable medical guidelines thus allowing for fewer errors and even accuracy in diagnosing and treatment plans. Additionally, it’s believed that this system will help with workflow because it will make it simpler to order drugs and lab tests, thus allowing clinicians to dedicate time to patient care instead. Their deployment in the present EHR system will facilitate best practice implementation and contribute to better health outcomes.
Ambitious Pre-Implementation Goals for the Rollout of this New Technology Reduce medication errors Enhance patient care coordinationTime-to-decision. Improving data security and privacy by adherence to HIPAA and the CURES Act is also an important objective since one should be able to ensure the information of the patients is safe while it should be accessible to both the patients as well as the providers (Martin, 2020). The system also aims to encourage patient engagement. It will enable patients to look at their own health records so that they can perform more active roles in managing their health. All in all, implementing this technology will spur significant improvements in the quality of care, safety for patients, and operational efficiency within the healthcare environment.
SAFER Guides Findings in Areas of Strength in Technology Implementation
The SAFER Guides review established the areas where the chosen healthcare setting excels in relation to the proposed EHR system and CDS application (Jedwab et al., 2022). An already existing framework has been in place to ensure the safety and confidentiality of data. The developed safeguards by the healthcare setting protecting patient information with the current compliance is also to HIPAA and the CURES Act. For instance, the existing system utilizes multi-factor authentication, encrypted communication channels, and security audits that are performed at regular intervals to ensure that any kind of patient information is safeguarded. These requirements form a robust foundation for building on the advanced EHR, where further enhancement in data access and security should be achieved without compromising privacy. Another department in which the health environment thrives is that of clinical workflow integration.
The SAFER Guides assessment demonstrated that clinicians are already accustomed to the integration of technology into their daily duties, such as searching for patient histories and treatment plans created electronically (Mollart et al., 2020). For example, clinicians have shown enough experience with EHR systems as most use them to fetch relevant information in quick succession during the interaction process and will find it easier to adapt to these new CDS tools. This preparedness for adopting technology is such that the more enhanced features, such as evidence-based recommendations and real-time alerts, can be incorporated into the existing workflow with minimal disruption, hence improving decision-making and care delivery.
SAFER Guides Findings for Identified Risks and Challenges
The following are the SAFER Guides assessment of various risks in the chosen healthcare environment that are associated with the implementation of the enhanced EHR system and the CDS tools (Arzahan et al., 2022). Among them, it is contemplated that one of the most worrisome risks is having different CDS tools that have not been fully integrated into the existing workflow, which may cause alert fatigue among clinicians. While it found the healthcare environment skilled in EHR system use, it also identifies the potential for too many automated alerts or recommendations to overwhelm staff, for example, the concern that clinicians may simply ignore some of the important information they are reading and miss something critical by not being able to filter out the rest. For instance, if the CDS system triggers too many alerts for routine activities, this may sometimes help the clinician become desensitized to important alerts that should be brought to their attention right away.
Ethical and Legal Implications of Data Security and Compliance
With a relationship with data security and compliance with healthcare technology, confidentiality, integrity, and availability concerns are ethical and legal considerations over sensitive patient information (Dong et al., 2021). Therefore, the privacy of patient health information would be a significant ethical and legal responsibility over safeguarding the interest and trust of patients. Lapses in health information and unauthorized breach incidences are the consequences of negligence in securing sensitive information. Therefore, health organizations must have the protection of data, security measures in place that are updated, and employees are well trained in the proper procedure of data security.
Healthcare service providers are ethically placed to respect the secrecy of patients and also to make sure patient health information is accessible and available when necessary for better decision-making. Legal frameworks like HIPPA present a framework regarding the storing, sharing, and handling of patient data (Ateya Megahed Ibrahim et al., 2024). Compliance with such laws will require healthcare organizations to have continuous monitoring and risk assessments of exposure and potential vulnerabilities. Ethical challenges may arise in the access to such data and determining consent by the patient given new and emerging technologies, such as AI or cloud-based systems. The management of these legal and ethical concerns through proactive engagement with a strong culture of compliance should help avoid risks while securing patient rights.
Reflection on the Use of SAFER Guides
I really found the SAFER Guides to be very helpful as they structured a framework for identifying potential risks associated with the use of technology in the healthcare facility (Goekcimen et al., 2022). The process enlightened the examination of all aspects of data security and clinical processes in detail. By systematically weighing things from organizational culture to safety practices and even the mere utilization of technology, I was able to pinpoint some vulnerabilities that can be a stumbling block in putting together efficient care for patients. This experience highlights the need for proactive assessment of risks to ensure that technology is aimed at aligning with safety and quality objectives and is also an indicator of the requirement for continuous monitoring. The lessons learned here will inform future practice, with an emphasis on implementing technology solutions that promote patient safety and enhance clinical workflows.
This activity really brought home the point that risk assessment cannot be a one-time event but is an ongoing commitment that should find its place in every part of your day. Now that I am made aware of the weakness, I will be in a better position to push for changes in case there are things that need to change from my organization’s side. For that matter, knowing both what is ethical and legal concerning data security will guide my decision-making about what technologies to pursue in the future (Jokinen et al., 2020). The knowledge that emerges from the use of the SAFER Guides in this journey as a DNP-prepared nurse is pretty fundamental to propel evidence-based practices and ensure alignment with regulatory standards for better patient care and organizational integrity.
NURS FPX 8012 Assessment 3 Conclusion
In conclusion, the use of the SAFER Guides has proven pivotal in illuminating strengths as well as vulnerabilities within the healthcare environment when it comes to the adoption of technology (Taylor & Hignett, 2021). By systematic evaluation along various dimensions of data security and clinical practices, I’ve learned to achieve proactive risk assessment as well as improve further efforts with a view to ensuring patient information and the quality of care. This experience, though not an endeavor to expand my understanding of the ethical and legal implications that surround the issue of data security, reflected the importance of continuously educating and training toward a safety culture. As I move forward in my practice, the information and skills that I will be endowed with from this tool will be important information for deciding on future technology ventures, meeting regulatory requirements, and ultimately realizing improved patient results through an informed and evidence-based decision-making process.
NURS FPX 8012 Assessment 3 References
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Ateya Megahed Ibrahim, Hassanat Ramadan Abdel-Aziz, Hamed, A., Donia, Mohamed, N., Hassan, G. A., Shaban, M., El-Nablaway, M., Ohoud Naif Aldughmi, & Taghreed Hussien Aboelola. (2024). Balancing confidentiality and care coordination: challenges in patient privacy. BMC Nursing, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-02231-1
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Keshta, I., & Odeh, A. (2021). Security and privacy of electronic health records: Concerns and challenges. Egyptian Informatics Journal, 22(2), 177–183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eij.2020.07.003
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