Electronic Medical Record System at the Queensland University of Technology - Case Study Example

Queensland University of Technology School of Public Health PUB 514 Contract/ Project Management Assignment Item 2 Project Plan & Executive Summary Table of Contents 1 Project Overview and Scope 4 1.1 Background 5 1.2 Project Objectives 5 1.3 Project Scope, Deliverables, Inclusions and Exclusions 6 1.4 Project Tasks 7 1.5 Project Constraints, Impacts and Assessment 7 2.7 Project Budget 9 1.6 Project Benefits 9 1.7 Project Time Frame 10 1.8 Cost Management 10 2 Project Organisation 11 2.1 Structure Chart 11 2.2 Client Responsibilities 11 2.3 Roles 11 3 Activities 12 3.1 Project Management 12 The project would be implemented by the project team as per the details of the project. The progress of the project would be recorded as on weekly basis. 12 3.2 Change, Scope and Issue Management 12 4 Deliverables and Acceptance Criteria 13 5 Communication Plan 13 6 Risk Management 14 References:…………………………………………………………………….13 Executive Summary The introduction of an Electronic Medical Record System (EMRS) in Queensland University of Technology, School of Public Health is the conversion of existing manual record keeping system into digital format wit the use of the latest information technologies to facilitate the health personals as well as to the other stakeholders including the patients and their attendants(1). The complexity of the healthcare system has increased in the recent years and the physicians and the healthcare personals have achieved the higher degrees of the advanced knowledge in the fields of medicines and the surgery for the cure deadly diseases in perfect manners. The conversion of the existing healthcare system into EMRS will facilitate all the stakeholders both the primary as well as the secondary ones to benefit from the change as being considered by the QUT Medical Center. The objectives of the project will be fulfilled with the selection and installation of latest technology in the field and the same would be achieved with the adoption of a changed methodology by the administration of the center. The installation of the EMRS would benefit the physicians in the shape of authentic and quick data relating to the patients along with the their past history, the patients will get proper medical care and treatment in perfect manner, the administration will benefit from the system in the form of effective delivery of services and authentic record relating to the healthcare as offered by the centre and finally the general masses will be satisfied with the overall quality services from the QUT center. The installation and adoption of EMRS will be completed within a period of one month and the total cost of the project will be equivalent to 20,000 AUSD. The cost of the project would be rationalized in terms of the benefits as are associated with the installation of the system in cost benefit ratio as the benefits are more in economic terms as well as in social cost of the project and the cost will be recovered in a short span of one year period(2). The implementation of the project will move in systematic and coordinated mechanism as through the selection of the project team including the project manager, selection of the relevant technology along with the software systems, capacity building of all the stakeholders, especially the healthcare personals and the administrators of the center(3). The whole mechanism will be helped by the adoption of a communication plan for the information of all the stakeholders as on regular basis and the preparation of a risk management plan so as to adopt the same if required for the achievement of the desired results as are associated with the EMRS(4). 1 Project Overview and Scope The adoption of EMRS is an essential requirement for running the affairs of the QUT center as to deliver the healthcare services in befitting manner. The execution of the project would provide authentic medical data in the digital format; the same would facilitate the working of the center as transparent and without any ambiguity for its further utilization by the relevant stakeholders (5). The manual record keeping method would be changed and the whole process will benefit all the stakeholders as on win-win basis, therefore, project will be completed as per its designs and the same would serve as a model for its replication in many other healthcare establishments for the achievement of similar objectives as on economical basis. 1.1 Background Queensland University of Technology, School of Public Health is providing healthcare services with the use of manual record keeping system which needs a reasonable number of personals for the discharge of the activities as assigned with the manual record keeping mechanism. In the recent years with the introduction of information technology a set of changes have been introduced in all fields of the human life including the healthcare systems. The administrations have noticed that the current system is not fulfilling the requirements effectively and with 100% accuracy, therefore, the administration has decided to adopt EMRS in the QUT Centre. The proposed change would provide the relevant data in the digital format and in its accurate form. The project will be implemented with the help of a core team of professionals including a project manager and will be utilized by the administrators, the executives and the healthcare personals for seeking the benefits as are associated with the implementation of the project(6). 1.2 Project Objectives The introduction of EMRS in the QUT Centre will have the following objectives and the execution of the project will help in the achievement of the associated objective as in be fitting manner. The objectives of the project are as under: (1) The conversion of manual record keeping system in the centre into Electronic Medical Record System for its utilization by all the stakeholders, (2) Capacity building of all the relevant staff for the understanding and utilization of the digital data in the healthcare practices, (3) The delivery of services as associated with the centre in transparent and quick manner so as to satisfy all the relevant stakeholders, (4) The handling of administrative and professional issues in the centres as on economical basis, and (5) To promote confidence of all the stakeholders towards the performance and effectiveness of the centre as on professional basis and to get benefit with the use of the technology so as to compete with other similar centres. 1.3 Project Scope, Deliverables, Inclusions and Exclusions The project will help in the creation of Electronic Medical Record System in the QUT Centre relating to the patients and the administrative departments of the centre (7). The project will be started with a starting date as on May 2, 2009 as per given schedule and will be completed as per work breakdown structure for the project. 1.3.1 Deliverables and Inclusions The execution of the project would deliver electronic data in the digital format for its further use. The project would include data relating to the previous patients for the last five years and the current and future operations of the centre. The details are as in accordance with Appendix A (Deliverables and Acceptance Criteria as indicated at Page 22). The deliverables are the result of the initiation of the project as on timely basis. The project would start with the selection of the project staff. 1.3.2 Exclusions The project would exclude the data more than five year old as the five year bench mark would be sufficient as a backup data relating to the patients and their respective history for the medical professionals so as to diagnose their medical issues with professional zeal and zest and for making effective treatment 1.4 Project Tasks The project will deliver Electronic Medical Record in digital format with the introduction of information technology in the healthcare system; the same would ensure authenticity and genuineness of the relevant data for its further usage by all the stakeholders so as to achieve the benefits of the technology with its adoption. The project will mainly focus on the achievement of the deliverables as through the completion of the tasks with the utilisation of the inputs as on economical basis. 1.5 Project Constraints, Impacts and Assessment Project Constraints Impacts Assessment The project has the constraints in the shape of selection of technology for its adoption as to introduce EMRS in the centre. A set of information technologies are available in the market for the purpose, however, the selection of suitable technology is the major constraints in the implementation of the overall project implementation mechanism. In addition, a resistance from the top management would be another constraint as the senior management would resist in the adoption of the technology. Successful implementation of the project would change the overall scenario in the working of the centre. Top management, heath professionals and the executives will adapt to the new methods of medical recording as in the digital format for its usage in running the affairs of the centre. The progress as would be achieved through the adoption of the technology would help in the enhanced levels of the business and the same would further help in the sustainability of the centre in the future with the observance of the relevant rules and regulations as used in the reporting system for the purpose of medical record keeping in the centre. The project would be monitored as per Appendix B (Tracking and Monitoring Schedule 28). 2.6. Project Stakeholders: Following stakeholders are associated with the project: (1). Health Professionals and Medical Practitioners as linked with the QUT Centre, (2). the top management and executives of the centre, (3). patients and their attendants, (4). pharmaceutical companies, (5). the personals relating to the information technology, and (6). the general masses which may get benefit from the services as delivered by the centre through its regular operations as on the basis of the adoption of EMRS in the centre. 2.7 Project Budget The project would be completed wit a total cost of AUSD 20,000 with the following bifurcation: Serial number: Major head Cost in AUSD (a) Project staff 10,000 (b) Purchase of the technology 5000 (c) Capacity building of the staff 3000 (d) Repair and maintenance 2000 Total 20,000 The project budget would be prepared as per Appendix C (Project Budget page 36). 1.6 Project Benefits The successful completion of the project will deliver the following benefits to the centre and all other stakeholders as are associated with the project: 1. The conversion of the record of the centre as on electronic basis in the digital format, 2. availability of the record in a quick fashion, 3. 100% authenticity of the record relating to the centre and quick disposal of the administrative and professional issues as to satisfy the just demands of all the stakeholders. 4. Quick availability of the record along with the previous history, if exist. 1.7 Project Time Frame The project would be completed in a period of one month with the following details: a. Week no. 1--- selection of the project staff with starting date as May 2, 2009 and ending date as May 9, 2009. b. Week no. 2--- selection of the relevant technology and its purchase with starting date as May 10, 2009 and ending date as May 17,2009. c. Week no. 3--- installation of the purchased technology with starting date as May 18, 2009 and ending date as May 25,2009. d. Week no. 4--- testing of the technology and conversion of the manual recording system into the EMRS with starting date as May 26, 2009 and ending date as June1,2009. 1.8 Cost Management The cost of the project would strictly be managed as on item wise basis and on the basis of Appendix D Cost Management Budget Tracker 47. 2 Project Organisation The project would be implemented with the help of a project team headed by a project manager along with two supervisors and four technicians for the delivery of the system as on effective basis. 2.1 Structure Chart Supervisor 2 will involve the services of the experts as on contract basis and the beneficiary would be all the existing management, the technical staff and all other stakeholders. 2.2 Client Responsibilities The clients would be responsible for the extension of their cooperation to the management of the centre so as to run the new system as a replacement of the previous manual record keeping system. 2.3 Roles All the project team would discharge their functions as are associated with their respective positions as: i. The project manager would be the overall in-charge and will report to the top management for seeking necessary guidelines for the implementation of the project during the project period, ii. the supervisors will look after the work of their respective technicians and finally, iii. The technicians would deliver the work under the supervision of the supervisors at the grass route levels. 3 Activities The project would be completed as per given activity chart: 3.1 Project Management The project would be implemented by the project team as per the details of the project. The progress of the project would be recorded as on weekly basis. 3.2 Change, Scope and Issue Management The project scope would not be changed, however, the provisions will be available as to amend and update the technology for better delivery as is associated with the adoption of the new technology. The provision will help the administration to include the latest technologies relating to the field and to benefit the customers with better services, good delivery and on economical basis. 3.2.1 Notification of a change or an issue The change will be notified as and when required. The issue would be adjusted as per Appendix E Issue/Action Items Log 48 Appendix F Time Frame 49. 3.2.2 Processing of the change or issue The adoption of change will be assessed in consultation with all the stakeholders as on regular basis. The process will assess the inclusion of change in the technology purely on technical basis and to upgrade the existing technology in the system. 4 Deliverables and Acceptance Criteria The deliverables will be delivered with the utilization of the installed technologies in the field of EMR and the same would be accepted by all the stakeholders with the enhanced level of the capacity building as on need basis. The stakeholders will have close cooperation with themselves and to consult each other for the acceptance and up gradation of the adopted technology relating to the EMRS. 5 Communication Plan A communication plan for the introduction of the technology among all the stakeholders will be developed and communicated within the organization as well as the relevant stakeholders as are associated with the business. The plan will help for the acceptance and utilization of the EMRS for better of services by the QUT Centre. The communication plan will broadly consist of the following major components: a) . The networking of thew plan with all the stakeholders for its adoption for the execution of the plan, b). Identification of the problems, if arise during the implementation of the project, and c) Updating of the communication plan as on regular basis. 6 Risk Management The project has a risk both from the inside as well as from the outside environment while during the execution of the project. The risks from the inside include a resistance from the top management of the centre; however, the same would be resolved with the active involvement of all the related top management members along with the explanation as given to them about the benefits as associated with the adoption of the new recording methods as based on digital format. The external resists would be tackled with the better services and timely completion of the tasks through the utilization of the EMRS. References: 1. Raymond, B. and C. Dold. "Clinical Information Systems: Achieving the Vision. Prepared for the Meeting "The Benefits of Clinical Information Systems" Sponsored by the Kaiser Permanent Institute for Health Policy, 2001. 2.  Walker J, Pan E, Johnston D, Adler-Milstein J, Bates D, Middleton B. The Value of Health Care Information Exchange and Interoperability. Health Affairs. Web Exclusive, January 19, 2005. 3. Rigby M. Evaluation: 16 Powerful Reasons Why Not to Do It - And 6 Over-Riding Imperatives. Amsterdam 2001. 4. Care AA. Health Information Network for Australia: National Electronic Health Records Taskforce Report. Canberra: Australian Department of Health and Aged Care; 2000. 5. Benson T. Why general practitioners use computers and hospital doctors do not - Part 1: incentives. BMJ. 2002; 325: 1086–1089. 6. Lawler F, Cacy JR, Viviani N. Implementation and termination of a computerized medical information system. J Fam Pract. 1996; 42: 233-236. 7. Wager K, Lee FW, White AW. Life After a Disastrous Electronic Medical Record Implementation: One Clinic’s Experience. Idea Group Publishing. 2002. Appendix A Deliverables and Acceptance Criteria Page 22 Appendix B Tracking and Monitoring Schedule 28 Appendix C Project Budget 36 Appendix D Cost Management Budget Tracker 47 Appendix E Issue/Action Items Log 48 Appendix F Time Frame 49 (Referred to the student example for more details) Read More