Note: Complete the assessments in this course in the order in which they are presented.

Preparation

In this assessment, you will assume the role of a mid-level manager. You have been asked to analyze the health information technology (IT) needs for the Independence Medical Center (IMC), a rural referral hospital located in Waterloo, IA.

Complete the Vila Health: Health Information Technology Needs Analysis interactive simulation, linked in the Resources. Gather information about the IT needs of various departments within the hospital that will support a needs assessment.

Requirements

Identify the IT needs of the various hospital departments, using the IT Needs Matrix, linked in the Resources. Then, analyze the information you have collected and summarize your findings.

Note: Remember that you can submit all—or a portion of—your draft needs matrix and analysis to Smarthinking for feedback, before you submit the final version for this assessment. If you plan on using this free service, be mindful of the turnaround time of 24–48 hours for receiving feedback.

Supporting Evidence

It is not necessary to cite the Vila Health media simulation as the source of your information. However, if you reference other source materials, be sure to cite them correctly, using APA style.

IT Needs Matrix and Analysis

Note: The requirements outlined below correspond to the grading criteria in the scoring guide. Be sure that your needs matrix addresses each point, at a minimum. You may also want to read the Health Information Technology Needs Analysis Scoring Guide to better understand how each criterion will be assessed.

• Describe the components of a typical HIM system.
  • Choose a typical system in a setting you are familiar with.
  • Consider the clinical and administrative aspects of the system.
  • What evidence do you have that supports your description?
• Describe the challenges and best practices related to choosing and implementing health information systems.
  • Describe two or three challenges.
  • Consider ways to ensure that systems are able to communicate with other needed systems, such as national databases and information-sharing programs.
  • What evidence do you have to support your assertions and conclusions?
• Identify the clinical and administrative IT needs of the various departments.
  • Consider the impact of this information on strategic decisions about health information systems.
• Explain how the IT needs of each department are, or are not, being met.
  • Base your assessment on your analysis of specific departmental IT needs.
• Summarize the findings from your needs assessment, related to current IT system functionality, commonalities, and differences.
  • Analyze system functionality, commonalities, and differences.
  • Consider how different end users look at the system.
  • What are the implications of your analysis and possible next steps for the organization?
• Identify potential gaps between current system functionality and services and likely future needs.
  • Extrapolate from what you already know about current system functionality and how well departmental needs are presently being met.
  • What evidence do you have that can support this forecast?
• Write clearly and concisely, using correct grammar, mechanics, and APA formatting.
  • Express your main points and conclusions coherently.
  • Proofread your writing to minimize errors that could distract readers and make it more difficult for them to focus on the substance of your analysis.

Required Resources

The following resources are required to complete the assessment.

• Vila Health: Health Information Technology Needs Analysis | Transcript.
  • This multimedia simulation will enable you to gather the information you will need for your needs analysis.