Information Management System

Q.1 How can we involve/train staff in the usage of POE system?

Ways of involving or training staffs with the new POE system :

• By involving physicians,nurses,pharmacists,lab staff early on in the designing of the new system.
• Making the staff feel as a part of the team by taking their suggestion in implementing change.
• Involving them in the decision making and importance of implementing IT system for the betterment in health care management of the hospital.
• Discussing the key concerns about the severity of errors during health care delivery.
• Growing awareness about the importance of preventing medical errors due to ADE and better  care through efficiently maintaining data and other information regarding the patient.

Q. 2 What are the (dis) advantages of POE system ?

Advantages of POE sytem:

• Reduces medical errors
• Allows physician to enter drug orders directly
• Eliminates the risk of misenterpretation
• Time saving
• Less storage of paperworks

Disadvantages of POE system:

• Time consuming as staffs needs to be trained in how to work with the new system.
• Can not Implementing POE system is costly
• Can not measure errors that have been prevented by the new process
• Dependency on vendor for continuous support
• No access to data when system is down

Q. 4 Analyze whether Mount Auburn can get a competitive advantage from POE.

Two ways in which Mt. Auburn can get a competitive advantage from computerized physician order entry system:

Cost advanatage:

If Mount auburn who is buying an additional system from the same vendor can negotiate a better price for it. Mount Auburn who already has a PCI system bought from Meditech is considering to purchase another computerized  (POE) system from the same vendor he can propose for a better price offer from the IT supplier making him save money for implementation.

Service differentiation advantage:

Mount auburn can also choose to build its own unique system that gives him the same and additional benefits in providing better service and care delivery to its patients.

By building its own system Mount Auburn can differentiate by providing a system that can reduce the area of most medical errors and provide efficient and quality care in health management. A unique system is not easily copied thus giving the hospital a competitive advantage.

Though competitive advantage is not gained only by implementing a cost efficient and unique system, but also through right management .

Q. 5 Can POE system equally help with all error categories ?

According to a study at Brigham and women’s hospital, computerized POE system had a substantial positive impact in reducing error rates.

Results relating to POE system were assessed through a pilot test. The pilot test from phase 1 to phase 2 did indicte some progress in lowering the rates of preventable and non-intercepted potential ADEs that occurred due to:

Lack of information about the patient (drug allergy)

• Rule violations
• Slips and memory lapses
• Transcription errors
• Faulty drug identity checking

While this test was conducted in an unusually favorable environment (delivery and labour ward) the actual challenge would be to see if it works the same way for all the other departments.

More advanced capabilities such as ability to recommend medications based on the result of a patients previous diagnostic test have not been a part of the initial POE system.

So not all of the error categories have been discussed enough to know if the POE system can equally help improve these casualties.

Q. 6 What are the (dis) advantages of buying from Meditech ?

Advantages :

• Can negotiate a better price for buying 2 IT systems from the same vendor (Meditech).
• Implementating another IT system by the same vendor can be done faster as he knows somewhat about the hospital
• Can rely on the vendor for support.

Disadvantages :

• Too much dependency on vendor can lead to opportunistic renegotiation.
• Vendor has access to information about patients.
• Poaching, illegal use of shared information.
• The hospital was to serve as one of the first users of the new POE system, so meditech has no much knowledge as to how well this could work.
• He can sell the same POE system to a competitor.

Q. 7 How can we evaluate POE success ?

Measures to evaluate POE success :

• Through monthly statistic to see if implementing POE gained some progress.
• Reduction in medical errors indicates that the system is on course.
• Decrease in cost of injuries to patient due to ADEs occurred after hospitalization.

Q. 8 Why do you think Mt.Auburn choose a pilot implementation ?

• Reasons for choosing pilot implementation by Mt. Auburn:
• If the new system fails ,the old one is still in operating and hence no data loss.
• It allows the end-users to compare the progress if any.
• To determine if the opted system is viable for the hospital.
• Helps in decision making to whether go further or stop.
• Reduces the risk of failures in other department as it is tested and tried.

Q. 9 Do you think physicians will embrace or resist the new system ?

As stated in the case that it had not been difficult for Mt.Auburn to mount for support for the new project (implementing POE).

Other reasons for physicians to embrace the new system are :