Case Study: Implementing a new patient identification and tracking system
Case Study: Implementing a new patient identification and tracking system
I am surrounded by people with good ideas. I need more people that implement them well.
—Will Weider, CIO, Ministry Health Care
The successful execution of a project requires continual control and monitoring to ensure that the project stays on schedule, on budget, and on specification. The ongoing collection, analysis, and reporting of project data is an essential project management tool for monitoring a project’s status throughout its execution; the information generated by this process can be used by the project team to determine appropriate actions to control the project by bringing its time, cost, and performance back in line with the project plan. Case Study: Implementing a new patient identification and tracking system.
This week, you consider how to monitor and control a project throughout its execution.
Learning Objectives – Discussion: Project Control & Implementation Nurs6441
Students will:
- Apply principles of execution and control to a health information technology project
- Generate an MS Project plan
Learning Resources
Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
Required Readings
Coplan, S., & Masuda, D. (2011). Project management for healthcare information technology. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
- Chapter 3, “Project Management”
- “Scope Control” (pp. 58)
- “Control Schedule” (pp. 64–67)
- “Control Costs” (pp. 71–75)
These three areas of Chapter 3 focus on controlling scope, time, and cost, also referred to as the triple constraints.
Project Management Institute. (2017). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® guide) (6th ed.). Newtown Square, PA: Author.
- Part 2. The Standard for Project Management
- Chapter 4, “Executing Process Group”
These sections of Chapter 3 explore how to coordinate people and resources in accordance with the project management plan. These sections also cover the processes used to track, review, and regulate a project’s performance.
- Chapter 5, Section 5.6, “Control Scope”
This section of Chapter 5 explains the process of monitoring a project’s status and scope. The text also describes how to manage changes to the scope baseline.
- Chapter 6, “Project Time Management”
- 6.6, “Control Schedule”
In these pages of Chapter 6, the authors explain the process of monitoring a project’s status to update project progress and manage changes in a schedule baseline.
- Chapter 7, “Project Cost Management”
- 7.4, “Control Costs”
This section of Chapter 7 reviews the processes used to update a project budget and manage changes to the cost baseline.
Cortelyou-Ward, K., & Yniguez, R. (2011). Using monitoring and controlling in an electronic health record module upgrade: A case study. The Health Care Manager, 30(3), 236–241.
This article examines the application of monitoring and controlling to an electronic health record module upgrade. The article makes recommendations related to flexibility, tracking changes, teams, milestones, and testing.
Noblin, A. M., Cortelyou-Ward, K., & Ton, S. (2011). Electronic health record implementations: Applying the principles of monitoring and controlling to achieve success. The Health Care Manager, 30(1), 45–50.
This article explores the principles of monitoring and controlling in the context of an electronic health record implementation. The article also examines issues such as project costs, project progress, schedule controls, quality management, and controlling risks.
Yin G.-L. (2010). Project time and budget monitor and control. Management Science and Engineering, 4(1), 56–61.
The author of this article describes how time and budget can be successfully controlled during a project’s implementation. The author presents techniques for accomplishing this, as well as describing potential pitfalls.
Document: Project Management Tools Available for Apple/Mac Computers (PDF)
This document contains a list of project management tools that are compatible with Apple/Mac computers.
Document: Team Project Overview (PDF)
This document provides an overview of the Team Project you will work on throughout this course.
Required Media – Case Study: Implementing a new patient identification and tracking system
Laureate Education (Producer). (2013b). Executing, monitoring, and controlling [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 8 minutes.
In this presentation, roundtable participants Dr. Mimi Hassett, Dr. Judy Murphy, and Dr. Susan Newbold discuss the science of executing a project and the art that is involved in the continued monitoring and controlling of it. They talk about the triple constraint of cost, scope, and time and suggest some automated tools and skills that can help in tracking shifting components of a project.
Discussion: Project Control
The actual implementation of a project occurs within the execution phase. During this phase, it is not uncommon for project managers to determine that projects have deviated from the original scope, time, or cost (the “triple constraint”), often due to unforeseen issues. When one element of this “triple constraint” changes, project managers must adjust the remaining two elements in order to satisfy project requirements. Maintaining this balance is one of the greatest challenges a project manager faces.
In this Discussion, you examine scenarios featuring issues that arise during the execution phase of a project. You analyze how you would modify the project in terms of scope, time, and cost in order to resolve the issues and fulfill project requirements. You also explain how you would communicate these modifications to key stakeholders.
Consider the following scenarios.
- You are the lead project manager tasked with implementing a hospital’s new patient identification and tracking system. The currently planned system is designed to function using only barcodes, but many key stakeholders have called for the system to also include the use of radio-frequency identification (RFID) features. In order to meet the demands of the stakeholders, your project scope expands to include RFID technology. How will you modify your budget and schedule to accommodate this increased scope?
- You are managing the development of a computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system in a hospital that caters to the suburban population of a major city. A much larger hospital that accommodates most of the city’s downtown residents has recently been severely damaged in a storm. As a result, the inner-city hospital is operating at a low level of capacity and diverts much of its patient flow to other hospitals. In order to help alleviate the strain caused by this new influx of patients, your hospital’s executives are requiring you to implement the CPOE system 2 weeks early. Your project team is currently composed of just enough individuals to complete the project on time using the originaltimeline. The planned CPOE system has many non-essential features that usually take two phases to implement. However, these features are currently planned to be incorporated during your single-phase CPOE implementation. How do you adjust the project’s scope and cost to meet the new schedule demands?
- You are managing the implementation of an electronic medical record system in a small physician’s office. Due to much lower-than-expected profits in the fourth quarter, you have had a substantial cut in the amount of funding available for your project. The scope of the medical record system is more extensive than the bare minimum required for a practice of this size. In addition, the implementation schedule is as condensed as possible to reduce downtime in the office. This condensed schedule requires the use of expensive, high-quality resources. How can you adjust your plan to compensate for the project’s reduced budget?
To prepare:
- By Day 1 of this week, your Instructor will assign you to a specific scenario. Review this week’s Learning Resources on controlling the elements of the “triple constraint,” and consider how they apply to the scenario to which you were assigned.
- Determine how you could modify the project in your assigned scenario in terms of scope, time, or cost in order to fulfill the project requirements.
- Consider how you would communicate the modifications you identified to key stakeholders.
By Day 3
Post the number of your assigned scenario and a description of where and how you would adjust the plan in terms of budget, scope, and timeline. Explain how you would communicate modifications to key stakeholders. Provide rationale for your response.
By Day 6
Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days, using one or more of the following approaches:
- Critique your colleagues’ modifications.
- Suggest an alternative strategy for communicating the modifications to key stakeholders.
- Validate your colleagues’ chosen modifications or communication strategies with your own experience or additional research. Case Study: Implementing a new patient identification and tracking system Nurs6441.
Implementing a new patient identification and tracking system
Introduction
Patient identification is a topic that has been discussed for many years. There are many patient safety issues associated with not having a patient id system in place. Patients who could be injured or even killed by healthcare providers if they don’t have their own identity and are unable to communicate with those around them clearly, but this can also affect staff as well since it can lead to increased levels of stress and burnout among nurses, etc.
Patient identification should be mandatory at every point of care.
Patient identification should be mandatory at every point of care. Patient identification is a key part of patient safety, privacy, rights and dignity. It helps ensure that patients receive the treatment they need in a timely manner by providing information about their medical history, allergies and more.
Patient identifiers (ID) are critical for protecting the privacy of individuals who need to be identified during an emergency situation or when interacting with healthcare providers on an ongoing basis such as interacting with insurance companies or signing up for appointments online. ID cards can also serve as proof that someone has been examined by a doctor so they’re not questioned later on down the road when it comes time to dispute an injury claim due to negligence caused by another person who may have forgotten their own ID card while working at work!
Patient identification systems are one of the few things that can be implemented with no negative consequences.
Patient identification systems are one of the few things that can be implemented with no negative consequences. While it may seem like a small thing, patient identification is an essential part of patient safety and should not be overlooked as a necessary component of any healthcare system.
Patient ID systems are easy to implement and maintain, making them an excellent choice for hospitals or other facilities that need to track patients’ medical histories. They also have no negative consequences; in fact, they help improve patient care by allowing staff members to keep track of each individual’s history so they can provide better treatment based on their unique needs at any given time (1).
Hand hygiene compliance is closely linked to patient identification.
Hand hygiene compliance is closely linked to patient identification. If a patient’s name, photo and location are not known, then it is very difficult for healthcare workers (HCWs) to ensure that they are washing their hands properly.
Research has shown that HCWs who know the identity of their patients tend to wash their hands more frequently than those with no knowledge of the individual’s identity. This means that implementing an effective patient tracking system can help improve hand hygiene compliance by providing HCW with more information about each patient as well as providing them with confidence in knowing exactly who they are treating at any given moment in time.
A clear communication policy is needed for those who don’t speak English well.
A clear communication policy is needed for those who don’t speak English well. Translators should be available at all times and should be bilingual in their specific language, as well as trained in the medical field.
The main challenge is that there are many languages spoken in clinics, hospitals and other healthcare institutions around the world. There are also many different dialects within each country or region which makes it difficult to find someone who knows both your language and theirs (or vice versa).
There are many positive effects on patients and staff when a new patient id system is implemented.
There are many positive effects on patients and staff when a new patient id system is implemented.
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Clear communication policy: The first step in implementing a new patient identification and tracking system is to create an understanding of what the policies will be for each department. This can be done by having an online form that collects information from each department and then sends it to the appropriate person within the organization. When this happens, it ensures that all employees are aware of their role in creating transparency around patient safety, infection prevention, and other vital issues related to healthcare overall.
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Hand hygiene compliance: One of the most important aspects of implementing any new program is ensuring safe hand washing practices among all staff members who come into contact with patients or visitors at your facility this includes nurses as well as physicians or other medical professionals who may see patients during office hours but also perform administrative duties outside those hours (such as billing). When everyone understands how important it is for them personally not only physically but also mentally/emotionally motivated towards following through on these standards every day–it makes sure everyone knows exactly what needs attention too!
Implementing a new patient ID system can have many positive effects on patients and staff.
Implementing a new patient ID system can have many positive effects on patients and staff.
Patients will be more comfortable, especially if they are able to use their own devices or are provided with tablets that allow them to access the information they need. Staff members will also be able to spend less time manually entering data into their computers and more time providing care for patients instead of filling out paperwork or filing paperwork. This results in improved efficiency for all involved parties, including your organization as well as yourself!
Conclusion
Implementing a new patient ID system is one of the few things that can be implemented with no negative consequences. It will help improve hand hygiene compliance, and reduce the spread of infectious diseases. It will also allow for more accurate billing by reducing the amount of time spent looking up insurance information or Medicaid numbers in your computer system before taking care of patients. A clear communication policy is needed for those who don’t speak English well – they need to know when and where they should go if they have questions about their health care provider’s policies (which might include notifying them if there are any changes).
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