Baked In Knowledge Management Introduction and Alignment
Knowledge management (KM) is the process of acquiring, improving, sharing, and effectively using organizational knowledge to help individuals make informed decisions at the right time.
A workflow generally refers to carrying out one or more processes used in the workplace that can be repeated. For example, admitting a patient to the hospital, scheduling an appointment, and assessing a patient are all examples of workflows. In this activity, you will examine how KM and workflows can positively impact the organization, employees, and patients.
Baked In Knowledge Management Assignment Requirements and Expectations
Upon completion of this assignment, you should be able to:
Apply “baked-in” knowledge to organizational workflows using examples in the healthcare field.
Resources
Textbook: Information Systems for Healthcare Management
Chapter 12 PPTs
Background Information
Adding knowledge into a workflow ensures that healthcare providers will have the information they need at the right time to ensure that the patient receives the
highest quality of care in a timely manner. Workflows enable people to work faster and smarter, to be more efficient, and enhance collaboration between the patient and staff. Because workflows can be triggered based on events, the patient and healthcare providers get the information when it’s needed so they can make decisions that directly impact outcomes. For example, a test result is out of range. This could trigger a workflow that does the following: provides an alert to the patient and/or healthcare provider of the result, updates the patient’s EMR with the result, and provides customized documentation to the healthcare provider that may aid in the decision-making process on what steps to take next. The decision by the provider may trigger other workflows to run. In addition, workflows that don’t run their course (that is, are in a waiting state) can provide reminders to the provider and alerts based on severity to the proper personnel ensuring that all loose ends are tied up.
Instructions for the Baked In Knowledge Management
In your textbook Information Systems for Healthcare Management , read Chapter 12, “The Knowledge-Enabled Organization.”
Navigate to the threaded discussion and respond to the following discussion question:
What does it mean to “bake” knowledge into organizational workflows? Provide one example in your initial post.
Assignment 2 {1 page)
Organizational Challenges
Introduction and Alignment
The healthcare triangle (cost, quality, and access) encompasses the main challenges facing healthcare today. They tend to be interrelated (that is, a change in one area is likely to affect change in the others). These changes directly affect HIT. For example, to improve quality of care, you must have accurate and reliable information from the HIS. This information must be easily shared by professionals in a timely manner at the organizational level and also with the patient at the individual level. This communication can also help reduce costs while increasing quality and efficiency. At the same time, system security standards must be in place to ensure a patient’s privacy. When implementing or re-engineering a HIS, it’s important to be prepared for the challenges that may arise.
Upon completion of this assignment, you should be able to:
Analyze the key priorities of healthcare information systems today that will affect your future.
Resources
Textbook: Information Systems for Healthcare Management
Chapter 2 PPTs
Background Information
For many patients, access to healthcare can be a challenge. Some barriers may be that they live too far away, don’t have reliable transportation, have mobility issues, may be uninsured or underinsured, are unable to be seen as a result of crowding (lack of supply of healthcare in urban areas), and so on. In many cases, HIT can help bridge this gap. Patients can be monitored at home with medical devices that measure, store, and transmit (or have download capability) data back to healthcare providers that is then uploaded into the patient’s electronic medical record (EMR). Many healthcare facilities now also have remote appointments so that the patient doesn’t have to go in to see a primary care physician for certain types of cases. As this type of technology evolves, healthcare institutions face the challenges of selecting and implementing it.
Instructions
In your textbook Information Systems for Healthcare Management, read Chapter 2, “External Environment.”
Navigate to the threaded discussion and respond to the following discussion question:
What organizational challenges do you anticipate with changes necessary to control cost, improve quality, and expand access in your organization?
