Bioinformatics with Electronic Health Record

Project Description

Bioinformatics is a field of study that includes collecting, storage, retrieval, and manipulation of data for analysis and visualization through the development of algorithms and software. In healthcare, bioinformatics is used in developing the methods of obtaining, storing, and analyzing biological data that promote patient care delivery. Bioinformatics is widely applied in different areas within healthcare that include personalized medicine, gene therapy, drug discovery, and preventive medicine. The electronic health record (EHR) is a digital version of a patient’s health information that provides instant and secure up to date information. The information contained in EHR includes diagnoses, medical history, medications, and treatment plans. Due to the ongoing advancements in healthcare, there is a huge need to integrate bioinformatics and electronic health records to promote patient healthcare services. However, despite the expansion of data collection from biomedical research, the ability to change that information into patient care remains slow. Bioinformatics with Electronic Health Record

This project focuses on the application of bioinformatics in the improvement of patient healthcare services. The project aims to reduce medical errors that undermine the quality of patient care services. Medical errors in hospitals occur during prescription, dispensation, and administration. The challenge has existed for many years despite the efforts made to provide the proper solution. Due to constant medical errors that result from human factors, there is a need to mitigate the risks through electronic health records and electronic medication administration records (eMARs). Through the electronic generation of medication administration records, the physician’s medical order is entered into the pharmacy system. The administration record is printed out and put in the patient file rather than updating it through the hand, resulting in errors.

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Stakeholders Impacted by the Project

The application of electronic health records and electronic medication administration records are widely used in hospitals and involve several stakeholders. Clinicians work closely with patients and often manage their data regarding disease diagnosis, medication, management, and discharge. The implementation outcomes of EHR and eMARs are essential to clinicians involved in managing patient data daily. The input from clinicians is essential during the adoption of EHR and eMARs programs in hospitals. Krousel-Wood et al. (2018) indicate that clinicians are highly impacted by the implementation of EHRs and eMARs in healthcare, especially in keeping actual patient records and minimizing errors.  Moreover, exchanging and storing health information electronically enables clinicians to provide high quality and safe care services to the patients. Bioinformatics with Electronic Health Record

Billing teams in hospitals are highly impacted by the implementation of eMARs in healthcare. The billing department in hospitals requires the necessary technology to streamline the billing of care services offered to the patients. Without the billing department in hospitals, it is difficult for the service providers to get paid. The billing team needs a system that integrates well with their tasks to process the bills efficiently and correctly. EHR and eMARs streamline the workflow by reducing errors and saving time (Liao et al., 2017). The healthcare system is undergoing drastic changes that require hospitals to adapt bioinformatic systems that make the work more effective. The billing system is quite challenging in healthcare due to the increased number of patients creating the need to have an integrated billing system with the EHR and eMARs. The front office staff in healthcare are also impacted by implementing EHR and eMARs systems in healthcare. The front office staff is responsible for filling in the demographic and contact information of all the patients that visit a particular hospital. The staff needs to have a proper system that helps them input the information in a better manner.

Patient Outcomes to be Improved

Today’s digital era emphasizes the use of software to promote service delivery in various industries, including healthcare. With the implementation of eMARs in hospitals, patient care is expected to improve in different ways. Through eMARs, less administrative errors are expected since the changes are recorded instantly. Kertland et al. (2018) note that medication administration errors result in huge nursing failure and undermines the efficiency of care services provided to the patients. Electronic health records and eMARs result in inaccurate medication records and proper recording of patient’s history. Bar codes are also used to quickly scan and report medical records to ensure quick delivery of healthcare services. According to Liao et al. (2017), electronic medical records improve patient outcomes and safety through improved communication, reduced medical errors, and improved information management. Electronic records also capture point of care data that improve nursing practice through informative research and practice level interventions. Bioinformatics with Electronic Health Record

Through EHRs and eMARs, clinicians have time to concentrate on patients because they have less time to focus on paperwork. The process increases efficiency in service delivery and ensures the patient needs are met. The application of eMARs ensures the highest standards of medication administration procedures are achieved by indicating that the healthcare staff adheres to the proper medication, dose, time, and documentation (Lin et al., 2020). Inefficient management of medicine stock in hospitals results in medical errors due to delays in restocking. However, through eMARs application, hospitals can integrate well with pharmacies to monitor the medication sock. The process also helps ensure that medicine does not expire but is utilized by patients at the right time. eMARs improves communication between various healthcare stakeholders to help lower the chances of medication errors among the stakeholders. eMARs allow seamless integration between all the involved stakeholders to minimize medicine delays and errors that result from inadequate labeling of drugs.

Required Technologies

The technologies behind bioinformatics in healthcare are electronic health records and electronic mediation administration. Medical data computerization provides benefits to health care providers and patients. EHR software development is highly utilized in the health sector to improve the efficiency of service delivery (Adane et al., 2019). Since its development, the EHR software has proved effective in in-patient record keeping and minimizing medication errors. The first systems that reflected EHR were developed in the 1990s by Lockheed Martin Corporation. Since its inception, EHR has become a critical technology in healthcare informatics that collects, interprets, and manages data for quick medical prescriptions and treatments. The EHR system works in a simple way whereby healthcare professionals create a digital record of new patients within the system. The digital record represents a patient card that can be expanded and updated in time. According to Adane et al. (2019), EHR software is customized into different functions, including m-Health applications, telemedicine, e-prescription, and patient portals. Bioinformatics with Electronic Health Record

eMAR automatically documents medication administration information into EHR technology using radio frequency identification and other tracking sensors. The technology reduces the time spent in the documentation and helps in minimizing the errors through paperwork documentation (Kertland et al., 2018). Hospitals that use eMAR have reduced a significant percentage of errors and saved time. eMAR allows healthcare professionals to observe patient’s data in clear formats using charts and graphs.  The key features of eMAR include alerts, notes, audits, and easy reporting. The alerts ensure that the medication dosage is not missed by notifying the healthcare professionals when it is due (Lin et al., 2020). eMAR records medication notes that are readily available at the time of need. Sometimes managing patient information is daunting, but eMAR ensures audits are made to ensure tasks are done on time. eMAR provides easy reporting by the healthcare professionals handling patients as they can prepare monthly reports in a short time.

Project Team

 Implementation of eMAR and EHR in healthcare requires several teams that their leaders guide. The teams include EHR-eMAR, nursing, schedular, information technology, workflow redesign, and laboratory. The EHR-eMAR team is responsible for monitoring and managing the system after installation by the information technology team. The team should have the necessary expertise in installing and using the software. The team has to make the final decisions on the implementation of the plan. The managers of the implementation plan are responsible for keeping the project moving and ensuring all the work schedules are achieved at the right time (Krousel-Wood et al., 2018). The medical team lead group plays a critical role by educating the other staff about the anticipated changes, scheduling workflows, and driving consensus. The schedular lead group is involved in the scheduling workflows and informing all the other staff to promote change. The team focuses on ensuring all the stakeholders accept the change made within the hospital. Bioinformatics with Electronic Health Record

The nurse lead group plays a critical role in informing the other nurses about the anticipated clinical changes in workflows and delivery of services. The team inspires clinicians and other groups to embrace change and drive agreement among nursing staff. Nursing informaticist is part of the nursing lead group that only focuses on the workflow and is actively involved in establishing electronic medical records. The nursing informaticist has a high-level technical role of using data and technology daily to monitor programs, systems, and patient care initiatives. The informaticist remains critical in leading and implementing changes by supporting and training nurses. The billing lead group is responsible for understanding the billing workflows and promoting change to the other billing staff. Building a consensus within the staff to embrace change remains vital in transforming the nursing profession.  The workflow redesign team group is responsible for training the group to assess the current workflows and redesign them with EHR-eMAR workflows. Bioinformatics with Electronic Health Record

References

Adane, K., Gizachew, M., & Kendie, S. (2019). The role of medical data inefficient patient care delivery: a review. Risk management and healthcare policy, 12 (3), 67-73

Kertland, H., Satchu, S., Chant, C., Garland, J., & Tom, E. (2018). Safety Rounds: A Patient Safety Initiative. The Canadian journal of hospital pharmacy, 71(6), 385.

Krousel-Wood, M., McCoy, A. B., Ahia, C., Holt, E. W., Trapani, D. N., Luo, Q., & Milani, R. V. (2018). Implementing electronic health records (EHRs): health care provider perceptions before and after the transition from a local basic EHR to a comprehensive commercial EHR. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 25(6), 618-626.

Liao, T. V., Rabinovich, M., Abraham, P., Perez, S., DiPlotti, C., Han, J. E., & Honig, E. (2017). Evaluation of medication errors with the implementation of electronic health record technology in the medical intensive care unit. Open Access Journal of Clinical Trials, 9 (1), 31-40.

Lin, H. L., Wu, D. C., Cheng, S. M., Chen, C. J., Wang, M. C., & Cheng, C. A. (2020). Association between Electronic Medical Records and Healthcare Quality. Medicine, 99(31), 1-7. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000021182

Assignment: The Impact of Nursing Informatics on Patient Outcomes and Patient Care Efficiencies

In the Discussion for this module, you considered the interaction of nurse informaticists with other specialists to ensure successful care. How is that success determined?