External Environment: Technological Trends Affecting Health Care and Nursing Leadership

Technology and Data Management

The push to transition from paper charting and data collection to Electronic Medical Records (EMR) is an external environmental factor that affected healthcare.  Electronic Medical Records (EMR) must be monitored and managed.  Data collected from many individuals practicing must be integrated, coordinated, managed, and linked with patient outcome measures.  By linking the EMR with patient outcome measures, data is provided for reimbursement for health care services.  The technological trends forced health care systems to become compliant with the advances being made, as it affected reimbursement dollars.  As taught in nursing school, if it wasn’t charted, it wasn’t done.  The data reviewed in the EMR can cause increased, decreased, or denied reimbursement (Huber, 2010, p.781). 

New departments such as data management offices were developed to monitor and implement upgrades and training for documentation programs.  Data management offices must also review documentation for accuracy per guideline expectations (most frequently Medicare requirements).  Health care organizations had to follow the trend and adapt by the implementation of EMR and the development of departments and personnel to support the software.

My organization’s main management information systems used are Healthwise and hCAR (Humana Cares Reports).  The hCAR offers reporting features to assist in managing a team, individual caseload, and monitor productivity.  The purpose of the management information system is to provide useful information to be used in decision making.  According the Huber (2010), the 10 criteria of a management information system include:  informative, relevant, sensitive, unbiased, comprehensive, timely, action oriented, uniform, performance targeted, and cost effective (p.782).

Data base systems are used for physician order entry, view/retrieve lab results, and support the documentation of nursing care.  The goal of data base systems and EMR is to provide a unified electronic record that is able to link clinical and business processes, decrease data replication, and increase the availability and accessibility of information (Huber, 2010, p.781).  The systems used within my organization are Humana Cares Action Tracker (hCAT) and Clinical Guidance Exchange (CGX).  hCAT is a system for tracking actions, intervention, and data for each member.  CGX is a system for documentation of member information, nursing and ancillary service notes, call outcomes, care plans, medical history, etc.  The goal of the organization is to merge the two data base systems into one system to increase efficiency and accuracy of documentation.

I experienced the implementation of EMR in my previous position.  Management was responsible for being complaint with training and knowledgeable of technology.  As I switched organizations this fall, I have been able to newly experience the affect of technology with a different company.  External factors will always affect health care organizations and the expectations of management.  It is important that management stay supportive and knowledgeable of change and promote compliance by their employees. 

Huber D L 2010 Leadership and nursing care managementHuber, D. L. (Ed.). (2010). Leadership and nursing care management (4th ed.). Maryland Heights, MO: Saunders Elsevier.