Reorganization of HIM (Health Information Management) for Expanded Job Functions - Research Paper Example

? Reorganization of HIM (Health Information Management) for Expanded Job Functions Introduction: With the advancements in the time period, and the demand of the people in general, different health organizations can be observed to be under a stress to convert to new systems of measures and performances. However, since such organizations are completely dependent on the different data and information, hence the transformation is also dependent on such available information and the management of the information. The management of data constitutes several aspects that include the application of software, the records or databases of the health services provided by an organization, the technology that is used as well as the methodology that is applied in the process (Hannah, 1995, pp.147-151). Electronic health records have become significantly important in the recent times (Fleming, 2009, p.282) that are expected to improve the conditions of treatment and care of the patients since electronic systems would provide the employees to work more efficiently and in more effective ways. Such processes would include recording of information and data on electronic systems and preserving and maintaining that information for a long period of time and a proper management system to plan and organize the entire process (Acker et al, 2004, p.1). The current research focuses on reorganization of the health information management (HIM) for expanded job functions. For this purpose the study conducts researches on the transition of HIM departments from paper to electronic health records. The research is based on literature studies thus reflecting on the views and opinions of other researchers on the concerned issue and analyzing and summarizing the related aspects based on the studies. Transition of HIM Departments from Paper to Electronic Health Records: The transition of the management procedure of the information from paper to electronic systems has been considered as highly significant over the recent years (Information Resources Management Association, 2002, p.212). However studies reflect that the new system of maintaining health records have not yet been included in the management systems of the health departments as it has been in other sectors of the business. However the importance of electronic medical records, electronic patient records, electronic health records, in other words the computerized system of maintaining information, is under an ongoing research and taking an important position in the management decisions of health departments (Electronic Medical Records, 2011). Thus it can be understood that a complete transition from the paper system to the electronic systems would require the roles of the associated employees to modify and expand in order to cope up with the new system and perform efficiently. It has been observed in the present times that some of the health departments have already incorporated the electronic systems (Wurtz & Cameron, 2011, pp.1638-1643), while there are many that still depend on the paper systems. In some cases, a combined method is used where some works are based on the paper systems and others on the electronic systems (Green & Bowie, 2010, p.111). With the importance of the electronic systems being realized, the combined system would be required to be removed gradually from the management processes of the health departments and new roles and responsibilities can be expected to follow up as a result of the expanded jobs based on the electronic systems of information management. The following sections of the report would discuss on the evolving roles and how these roles can be expanded into newer responsibilities for the new system of HIM. Redesigning of the Workflows in the New System and an Understanding of the New Positions: Both the developing and developed countries do present their interests in the recent times towards the reorganization of the information management in different health organizations from paper to electronic systems. However, still there are factors that are found to hinder the progress of such a transition. Such factors include the cost as well as the technical expertise that might be required in order to effectively implement the change in the system. Also, many times, the medical practitioners tend to oppose the change in the system and prefer to continue with the old paper system. What seems to be highly important is the understanding of the help that the electronic system would provide to the entire organizational system of maintaining health records. Also, the different departments need to support the change to make it successful and encouraging for the organization (Electronic Health Records, 2006). The medical records are of utmost significance to the health organizations since they contain the records of the diseases, the causes behind the occurrence of the diseases, as well the treatments that are carried out to cure the disease including the list of medication involved. When several health organizations perform in a chain, the electronic records help in easy use and identification of the huge data and information that are involved in the medical treatments of patients. The electronic systems enable a structured form of coding and maintaining all the data and this can be ensured only if the team of personnel is efficient in handling the systems efficiently (McLean, 2006, pp.1-4). Studies reveal that the change in the health information system and the incorporation of the electronic methods would assist in the cost savings of the health departments, as well as reduce errors that otherwise occur as a result of the manual functions on the data and information (Hillestad et al, 2005, p.1103). While the advantages of the change in the health information system can be understood, it is also highly significant in this respect to realize the impacts on the organizations as a whole, and the roles that the personnel would be required to perform for its proper execution and implementation. A complete change in the information system would definitely have impacts on the work environment of the health organizations and the manner in which the personnel have been working till the current times. It is necessary that if the new system is initiated in an organization, the health departments are capable of utilizing it to the extent of providing of benefits to the departments as well as the medical practitioners. Time is also a big factor since transition from paper format to electronic forms of information management can be expected to incur a lot of time, not only for its execution but also for the positive acceptance by the entire information management team of the health organization (Shortliffe & Cimino, 2006, p.486). Thus an overview of the new system of health information management from paper to electronic system of recording and managing data and information can be realized to have both its advantages as well as difficulties. The advantages are undoubtedly related to the benefits that a health organization would receive from the structured format of the electronic system. However, the change would require significant involvement of the team members in the health departments that would also reflect new roles and responsibilities if the change has to take place in a successful manner. Thus the issue of the expansion of jobs comes into existence when the topic of the paper to electronic system change in health organizations arises. The medical practitioners and the organizational members can be understood to be needed to prepare for the new system of the health information management. The Evolving Roles Required in the New System of Health Information Management: Studies reveal that the transition from the paper to the electronic system of information management involves a complex procedure. Thus the management of the entire process would also require being highly efficient and effective. The working team would require handling different factors related to the use of software, the assimilation of the records of the different departments within a health organization, the documentations, and maintaining all the records in a safe and secure manner. In order to manage the new electronic information system, the new responsibilities would involve strategizing the legal health recording and the use of electronic system in the management policies. The leaders of the teams need to be efficient and the staff, the consulting members should have their encouragement and support in the new system. Particular committees formed for the purpose of the transition might also help in the progress of the process. Individuals would be required to be presented with different responsibilities depending on the work divisions required for the new system. For example, people would be involved in the legal health records, records for the patients, records for the treatments, for the management of the information, for proper maintenance as well as for the guidance of the entire process (Managing the Transition from Paper to EHRs, 2010). The incorporation of the new process in the information management in the health organizations can be expected to bring into light new and improved opportunities for the health workers and the medical practitioners. In order to make it a success the personnel would also require to possess enhanced skills such that they are capable of handling the new techniques of recording and maintaining the data through the electronic systems (Wing & Langelier, 2004, p.2). The organizational structure also proves to be highly essential in the determination of the success of an information system. Thus when a new system is planned to be introduced within the health organization, it might require the structure of the organization to get modified as well. Thus the manner in which the information passes from one individual to another in an organization might encounter changes well when the paper system is transformed into the electronic system in health departments (Brynjolfsson & Mendelson, 1993). Also the transition would require a smooth combination of the technical and the organizational expertise available within an organization. Such leaders would be required who would be able to motivate the entire team towards a positive approach to the electronic system of information management. It has been obtained that interaction between the organizational members is significant in the successful implementation of a change within the usual system of information management in the health organizations. The new process would require the personnel to learn to be more dependent on the use of technology. Moreover the use of technology would also mean that there should be back-up supportive measures to handle any kind of imbalances in the normal information processes (Lorenzi & Riley, 2000, pp.116-124). The use of the electronic systems and thus the involvement of the technology in the management of information in different health can be expected to assist the personnel in the handling of the huge amount of records and data (Chetley, 2006, p.18). Thus the evolving roles that can be expected to be involved in the transition from the paper to the electronic system of information management can be understood to have significant impacts on the health organizations and would require the organizational members to have new roles and responsibilities towards the successful implementation and execution of the system accompanied by significant management of the information. Expansion of Roles and Responsibilities Based on the Electronic System of Information Management in the Health Organizations: The transition of the paper to the electronic information management in the health organizations would require the organizational members to have new skills and expertise useful in the implementation of the process. Thus it can be understood that the roles and the responsibilities of the medical practitioners as well as the staff and other organizational members seem to be expanded. The new system would involve the management team to be efficient and involved in different departments like the administration, the financial aspects of the organization, the ethical issues as well as the organizational structure. The change in the entire system would initiate several challenges for the organizational members who would be required to prepare themselves according to the needs of the new information management system (Harman, 2006, p.414). The expanded roles of the organizational members would also lead to the improvement in the functioning and operations of the management of the organizations. Moreover the access to information both internal and external to the organization would increase with the electronic systems being in use. Also, the patients and their families would find it easy to access the required information (Addressing Regulatory Compliance in the Healthcare Industry, 2006). These functions have not been easy with the manual system of information management. With the introduction of the electronic system, the organizational members would naturally have newer challenges and opportunities to encounter and take advantages of that would provide them with enhanced roles in the management of information in their organizations. The roles of the organizational members would be expanded since several responsibilities would increase along with the introduction of the electronic system that is unlike the manual or hard copy system prevalent in the present times. Different elements of functioning like the documentation and management of the electronic content, clinical messaging, documentation of patient care, entry of order of scheduling and working in a computerized format, maintaining the administrative records on electronic systems, decision making on electronic data available, as well as the recording of the personal and population health, would become the parts of the operations of the new system of information management thus manipulating the present roles of the members to a great extent (Valerius, 2007, p.56). The human resource management would also have an important role to play in this regard since it is one of the crucial departments in any organization that helps in the achievement of the organizational goals. When the change in the information management system can be expected in the health organizations, the human resources team would have greater responsibilities towards supporting the purpose and the system and lead the entire management and staff team to work towards its success. It is the human resources team that can be expected to motivate the entire organization to perform their expanded roles efficiently and implement the electronic system of information management in the health departments (Strandberg, 2009, p.5). Thus the new system can be understood to expect for enhanced roles and sincere responsibilities on the part of the organizational members towards an efficient and successful implementation and progress of a change from the paper to the electronic system of information management. Getting Ready for the New World of Health Information Management: Learning on the system and the changes that would follow if the paper format is transformed into the electronic system of information management in health organizations, it can be understood that the change would bring both advantages as well as difficulties for the organizations to encounter and accept. In spite of the fact that there could be several difficulties, from the benefits that can be obtained from the electronic system, it can be suggested that the health organizations should try to unlearn the processes and measures that can assist them in handling the new system. This might include incorporating in the management team such members who have expertise in the field of the information processes through the use of technology. Moreover modifications in the structure of the organization might also help the organization to accept the changes with more ease and encounter fewer difficulties. Thus in order to get ready for the new system of information management, the organizations would require to follow newer measures and accept the technologies with full support to ensure that they are encouraged and motivated towards the new policies. The members need to be sincere in learning the new processes that would enable them to accept the system more easily. Leaders need to take an active role in this respect and help their teams to achieve the success of a useful system in the organization. Conclusion: In the present times, with the advancements in the business world, and in every aspect of organizational policies, it can be realized that there is a significant need for development in the systems being involved in different organizations that include the health organizations as well. The study has been conducted on the modification of the paper system to the electronic form of information management system in the health organizations. The study has clearly revealed that the electronic form of information management has several benefits for the organization in terms of the measures of work, the costs, as well as the management. However, there are certain difficulties with the incorporation of the changed from the usual process of manual recordings of information that is prevalent in the recent times. Although the importance of the electronic systems has been understood by the health departments, the difficulties have stopped many of the organizations to incorporate the new measure yet. This implies that the health organizations are required to understand the importance and work efficiently on the removal of the obstacles to smoothly incorporate the new system. From the entire study, thus it can be concluded that the health organizations should try their best to initiate the electronic health information management in their systems and the change the paper format and fight effectively against any difficulty that they encounter in order to obtain the benefits. References 1) Acker, B. et al. (2004). 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