Health Information Technology for EBP

Health Information Technology for EBP

Health Information Technology for EBP

Using Health Information Technology as a Source of Evidence-Based Practice

Before the digital revolution, health information technology supplied very limited support for evidence-based practice. If nurses wanted to be informed about cutting-edge research, their best bet was to either subscribe to leading journals or make periodic trips to the library. With the establishment of research databases, however, nurses became empowered to learn about and facilitate interdisciplinary and translational research. Databases are just one example of how health information technology supports evidence-based practice.

Health Information Technology for EBP
To prepare:

· Read the following scenario from the text (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2015, p. 445):

Twelve-hour shifts are problematic for patient and nurse safety, and yet hospitals continue to keep the 12-hour shift schedule. In 2004, the Institute of Medicine (Board on Health Care Services & Institute of Medicine, 2004) published a report that referred to studies as early as 1988 that discussed the negative effects of rotating shifts on intervention accuracy. Workers with 12-hour shifts realized more fatigue than workers on 8-hour shifts. In another study done in Turkey by Ilhan, Durukan, Aras, Turkcuoglu, and Aygun (2006), factors relating to increased risk for injury were age of 24 or less, less than 4 years of nursing experience, working in the surgical intensive care units, and working for more than 8 hours.

· Consider how the resources identified in the scenario above could influence an organization’s practice.

· Select an issue in your practice that is of concern to you. Using health information technology, locate at least three evidence-based practice resources that address your concern and that could possibly inform further action.

Health Information Technology for EBP RESOURCES

Required Readings

McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2015). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning.

Chapter 23, “Research: Data Collection, Processing, and Analytics”

The authors of this chapter relate nursing research to the foundation of knowledge model. The chapter assesses informatics tools for collecting data, storing information, and processing and analyzing data.

Chapter 25, “Translational Research: Generating Evidence for Practice”

In this chapter, the authors differentiate evidence-based practice and translation research. They also describe models used to introduce research findings intro practice.

Hynes, D. M., Weddle, T., Smith, N., Whittier, E., Atkins, D., & Francis, J. (2010). Use of health information technology to advance evidence-based care: Lessons from the VA QUERI program. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 25(Suppl. 1), S44–S49.

This article presents a study that evaluated the role of health information technology (HIT) in the Department of Veteran Affairs’ Quality Enhancement Research Initiative. The authors convey their findings on how HIT provided data and information to aid implementation research, and how implementation research helped further HIT development. Additionally, the text details methods of overcoming common HIT barriers to implementation research.

Jamal, A., McKenzie, K., & Clark, M. (2009). The impact of health information technology on the quality of medical and health care: A systematic review. Health Information Management Journal, 38(3), 26–37.

This text details a study that reviews the published evidence concerning the impact of health information technology (HIT) on the quality of health care. The study investigated the use of HIT in medical care and allied health and preventive services. The authors primarily focus on the impact of electronic health records, computerized provider order-entry, and decision support systems.

Umscheid, C. A., Williams, K., & Brennan, P. (2010). Hospital-based comparative effectiveness centers: Translating research into practice to improve the quality, safety and value of patient care. JGIM: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 25(12), 1,352–1,355.

This article revolves around the usage of the hospital-based comparative effectiveness (CE) center model. The authors highlight the model’s benefits and the increasing usage of CE evidence. The article also reviews solutions to overcoming many of the challenges to operating hospital-based CE centers.

Health Information Technology for EBP Optional Resources

Chlan, L., Tracy, M. F., & Grossbach, I. (2011). Pulmonary care. Achieving quality patient-ventilator management: Advancing evidence-based nursing care. Critical Care Nurse, 31(6), 46–50.

5. HITECH Legislation

In order for organizations to receive the incentives offered through the HITECH legislation, they must be able to demonstrate that they are using the technology in meaningful ways. The following criteria for meaningful use must be evident to qualify for EHR incentives (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2012). The technology must:

· Improve quality, safety, and efficiency, and reduce health disparities

· Engage patients and families

· Improve care coordination

· Improve population and public health

· Ensure adequate privacy and security protections for personal health information

For this Discussion, you consider the impact of the meaningful use criteria of the HITECH legislation on the adoption of health information technology.

To prepare:

· Review the Learning Resources on the HITECH legislation and its primary goals.

· Reflect on the positive and negative impact this legislation has had on your organization or one with which you are familiar.

· Consider the incentives to encourage the use of EHRs. Focus on the definition of meaningful use and how it is measured.

· Reflect on how the incentives and meaningful use impact the quality of patient care.

· Find an article dealing with one of the criteria to qualify for meaningful use and how it has been successfully met.

RESOURCES

Required Readings

McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2015). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning.

Chapter 9, “Legislative Aspects of Nursing Informatics: HITECH and HIPAA”

This chapter explores two pieces of legislation that dramatically impact nursing informatics: the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.

Arlotto, P. (2010). 7 strategies for improving HITECH readiness. hfm(Healthcare Financial Management), 64(11), 90–96.

This article reviews seven strategies to help prepare for the implementation of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH). The central point of the article focuses on demonstrating meaningful use of electronic health records.

Begum, R., Smith Ryan, M., Winther, C. H., Wang, J. J., Bardach, N. S., Parsons, A. H., & … Adams Dudley, R. (2013). Small Practices’ Experience With EHR, Quality Measurement, and Incentives. American Journal Of Managed Care, 19eSP12–8.

This article presents a study of clinician’s attitudes toward the use of financial incentives for the implementation of electronic health records in small practices.

Brown, B. (2010). The final rules for meaningful use of EHRs. Journal of Health Care Compliance, 12(5), 49–50.

In this article, the author poses four questions pertaining to the EHR system in the United States. In particular, the article examines Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments and the ways the meaningful use of certified EHRs will be verified.

Classen, D. C., & Bates, D. W. (2011). Finding the meaning in meaningful use. New England Journal of Medicine, 365(9), 855–858.

This article details the challenges of meeting the meaningful use standards in order to receive the benefits legislated under the HITECH Act. The authors specify the requisites for achieving benefits with EHRs, the relationship between meaningful use and commercial EHRs, and the tools needed to evaluate EHRs after implementation.

Kempfert, A. E., & Reed, B. D. (2011). Health care reform in the United States: HITECH Act and HIPAA privacy, security, and enforcement Issues. FDCC Quarterly, 61(3), 240–273.

The authors of this article examine HITECH, in addition to the impact of the privacy rules under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The article details the potential negative repercussions of failing to comply with HIPAA and HITECH.

Murphy, J. (2010b). Nursing informatics. The journey to meaningful use of electronic health records. Nursing Economic$, 28(4), 283–286.

This article reviews HITECH and the background leading up to its passage. The author also details the financial incentives intended to assist health care providers in purchasing and implementing HIT and EHR systems.

Optional Resources

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2011). Health IT home. Retrieved from http://www.healthit.gov/

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2012). Regulations and guidance. Retrieved from http://www.healthit.gov/policy-researchers-implementers/health-it-rules-regulations