Policy Change Recommendations for Change to Improve the Facility - Essay Example

Many of the procedures that are done with the help of the adjoining outpatient procedures facility are minor procedures—and surgeries can range anywhere from patients having pacemaker batteries replaced to the removal of skin cancers and other minor surgeries.  Usually, the outpatient procedures facility is much like an office, where family members can wait while their loved one is getting a medical procedure performed. 

The policy change itself would involve updating the computer systems in our particular hospital so that patient records are no longer kept on an MS-DOS system.  DOS is a computer operating system that is very outdated, and the hospital would like to incorporate a Windows operating system into the current manner of functioning with regard to how it is going to continue on in the future.  Because the outpatient procedures facility is so overwhelmed with work on a daily basis—and since computers are used daily—it is hoped that the switchover to the new computer system could be done sometime overnight when there are no patients scheduled to come in. 

The implementation of the policy change regarding the computer system would include the facilitation of computer training for all outpatient procedure staff.  This would be a course that would be month-long in trying to get the staff to utilize the new Windows operating system for the computer system.  They would have to be trained in how to use Microsoft Office and any other pertinent software, such as perhaps TimeSlips and Quicken. 

Hurdles that might need to be overcome include getting the people working the office to not just get acquainted with the new software but to feel comfortable using it since this is going to completely replace the DOS system.  Additional hurdles might include such difficulties as the staff having questions that might be hard to answer or actions that must be learned and taught by sight and by doing—because so many Windows applications need to be learned firsthand instead of having someone tell one to do something.  It’s much easier to show someone.  Therefore, clear visual instructions should take precedence over verbal directions.

These are the recommendations that are being made for the implementation and execution of the new Windows software to replace the DOS-based system in the outpatient procedures office.

Thank you for your time and have a great day.

Sincerely,

The Director of Nursing