Organizational Change Process: The Emr in Health Care Settings

Organizational Change Process: The EMR in Health Care Settings

Jaime M. Watson RN, BSN

HCS 587

June 3, 2013

Debra Kent

Organizational Change Process: The EMR in Health Care Settings

In the past decade, new advances in technology have changed health care. Experts continue to speculate that information technology has and will play a key role in efficiency, costs, and quality of patient care (Mehlman, 2010). With these changes comes the demand for hospitals to keep up with the times. In January 2009 President Barack Obama spoke about the government's recent stimulus package and drive to have Americans' health records electronic "within the next five years in order to save both dollars and lives" (Childs, Chang, & Grayson, 2009, para. 2).The "meaningful" use of electronic medical records promises to improve processes, decrease errors, and extend far beyond cost savings for the hospital, physicians, nurses, and the patients. Transforming a paper-based system into an electronic health- record application will allow real-time patient information to pass through multiple sources faster, enhance communication throughout the hospital into the community, and provide fiscally responsible care with the click of a mouse.

Updating to an electronic form of medical records storage has been proven to be more economical and efficient. However, organizations are often met with resistance when moving forward with plans to transition without adequately preparing the employees of the organization. Whenever a breakdown in the communication between the administrators and staff members has occurred, a barrier to change will also occur.

Organizational Barriers to Change

As with any change, there always will be barriers that need to be addressed in order for the change plan to be successful. Organizational barriers need to be monitored closely so that the change process is seamless. Some major organizational change barriers may include the multiple choices of computerized programs, inadequate staff training, and the persistence of administration to rush the change plan.

There are a wide variety of computer programs available that make the process of transferring medical records from paper to an electronic format a much easier process. Failure to research these programs to find the most "user friendly" program can be another barrier to change.

Insufficient training for employees and unrealistic expectations of the implementation time line can lead to resistance and decreased morale. If employees feel comfortable with the program, there will be a much smoother transition. However, if administrators try to rush the "go live" date and employees are not ready, multiple issues will arise and the transition will be difficult and uncomfortable for everyone involved.

Individual Barriers to Change

Just as there are organizational barriers to change, it is important to note that individual barriers to change also can occur simultaneously and decrease the effectiveness of the change plan. Organizational change is inevitable at some point or another for a variety of reasons. These changes are usually met with some resistance from individuals.

Experienced employees may fear the unknown. Human nature dictates that we have a need to feel comfortable. When changes are made in the workplace employees experience feelings of personal and professional insecurities due to a lack of knowledge and understanding of the changes being made and the causes for the change (Borkowski, 2005). Many employees may not be very computer savvy and fear learning something new. At the same time, this fear of starting anew also can lead to real or perceived stressors. Stress, in many cases will create a physical and psychological response in the work force (Borkowski, 2005). The result of these stressors will either lead to a positive motivational experience or it can culminate in burnout.

When current working and communication interactions are modified a series of new employment conditions must be established. Employees will easily resent disruptions made to their responsibilities or tasks that they have been performing for a period of time. Employees often view responsibility in power or ownership terms, so any change may be viewed as loss of power and prestige (Borkowski, 2005).

Internal and External Factors Influencing Change

Issues can arise that may hinder organizational change. These factors can either reflect internal or external factors of the organization. It is in the best interest of the organization to consider these factors prior to implementing the organizational change plan.

Internal factors to consider include the knowledge base of the employees, the organization's mission statement, and the style of leadership that will head the organizational change plan. A common structure for an organization is based on a hierarchy of leadership. This type of structure does not always support an "open-line" of communication between management and employees. The restructuring of the leadership model may be beneficial in order to encourage more motivation and participation by the employees. It is the internal environment that will influence