Cpoe for Emory Healthcare
Business Case NEU Consulting Group Prepared by: Kuan-ling Chiu Wenjie Xie Executive Summary This business case outlines how the CPOE Project will address current business concerns, the benefits of the project, and recommendations and justification of the project. The business case also discusses detailed project goals, performance measures, assumptions, and constraints. 1 Issue Since the perception of patient safety has arisen, many medical organizations were striving to improve medication safety.
Emory Healthcare, the largest and most comprehensive health care system in Georgia, was one of them who were seeking ways to prevent medication errors. In recent years, some highly influential studies revealed that medical errors occurred in inpatient and outpatient settings at alarmingly high rates. Researchers point out approximately 1. 3 million injuries occurred annually to patients in U. S. hospitals, at a high percentage of which were at least partially due to errors in patient management.
In the Emory Healthcare, physicians place orders by writing them on an orders sheet attached to the patient chart or they would call a nurse and ask him/her to write the orders on the order sheet. Orders are paper-based or just by verbalization. Furthermore, medication orders ordered by radiology technicians or phlebotomists would be carried out by a unit clerk who is responsible for to fax or scan and then sent orders directly to the pharmacy. Such paper-driven work is not efficient and prone to errors; without standardization, physicians carry no responsibility for orders, which is critical and directly points to medical errors.
It was calculated that 37% of the patient cases had medication treatment fault in the Emory Healthcare because of its paper-driven prescription process which is prone to error. Around 9% of injuries were partially due to inaccurate medical order input. Furthermore, 60% of the patients were not satisfied with their treatment. 2 Anticipated Outcomes In order to prevent medical errors and improve order accuracy, the suggestion of implement CPOE (Computerized Provider Order Entry) has surfaced.
CPOE will establish order standard and let physicians write orders electronically and directly, thus prevent order inaccuracy. Furthermore, paper-driven work will be eliminated and replaced by electronic process. Computerized processing will improve efficiency of workflow, accuracy of input and reduce cost. Ultimately, all physician orders will be standardized, electronic and traceable. Thus, medical errors caused by human negligence will be reduced to minimum.
Such paper-driven work that without standardization is not efficient and prone to errors. Moreover, physicians carry no responsibility for orders, which is critical and directly points to medical errors. During the last five years, 60% of the patients were not satisfied with their treatment. Furthermore, works driven by paper are costive and time-consuming. 2 Organizational Impact The CPOE project will impact the Emory Health Care in different aspects. The following provides a high-level explanation of how the organization, tools, process, and roles. Tools: COPE project mainly focuses on designing a new system to improve the accuracy rate of order entry.
The system will also enhance the function of dealing emergency situation. This will require training both physicians and nurses to manipulate the new system. A tutorial function also includes in the application to make employee adapt the system quickly. Processes: with CPOE Project comes more efficient and controlled by physicians. Physicians have more jobs to do within the whole procedure. Before the CPOE, new medication reconciliation will be placed after the communication between the doctor and the nurse. Now physicians should be able to place the order by themselves and send them to the providers directly. Nurse’s job is only to take care of inpatients.
Roles and Responsibilities: the CPOE project provides greater power to physicians and fewer burdens on nurses. The number of clerks will decrease sharply because now physicians can send orders to the providers directly. The middle layer is useless with this condition. IT department should provide more solutions to help employees be familiar with the new system. More training sessions should be taken place for employees who are unwilling to accept the system update. The new platform needs more computers and an appropriate database to support the system operation. Thus, the financial department should set up new budget for the new equipment required.
Hardware/Software: in addition to the computers and licenses for the project, NEU Consultant team will be required to purchase additional servers and database to accommodate the platform and its anticipated growth for the next 5 years. Technology Migration In order to effectively make employees be familiar with the computerized provider order entry system, a phased method has been designed which will result in minimal disruption to day to day operations, administration, and payroll activities. The following is the high-level overview of the system. Phase I: Hardware/Software (including database, servers and new computers) will be purchased for new system.
IT department staff will response for the configuration of back end equipment. Phase II: All employees will receive training on the new system. Depending on different roles, they will get diverse learning sessions. For example, physicians will learn how to place prescriptions and medication reconciliation. Nurse will study how to allocate patients room and update patients’ status. Phase III: System might be altering depending on employees’ reflections to make the system be manipulated easily. NEU consulting group will provide strong support in this period. Phase IV: The new system will go live and the older pattern of hand-written entry will be stood down. Project Overview
The CPOE Project overview provides detail for how this project will address Emory Healthcare business problem. The overview consists of a project description, goals and objectives for the CPOE Project, project performance criteria, project assumptions, constraints, and major milestones. As the project is approved and moves forward, each of these components will be expanded to include a greater level of detail in working toward the project plan. 1 Project Description The purpose of this project is to implement Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) across Emory Healthcare. Computerized Provider Order Entry is a computer application that is used by physicians to enter diagnostic and therapeutic patient care orders.
