Information Technology in Healthcare Industry

PAPER
ON
IT AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
IN
HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY

By:
Rajender Kumar Lakhanpal
FT11347

By: Rajender Kumar Lakhanpal, FT11347

 Information Technology in Healthcare Industry

Table of Contents

1. Abstract

2. Introduction

3. IT, Informatics, and Productivity of Healthcare.

4. Informatics

5. Project and Knowledge Management

6. Data Mining

7. Business Intelligence and Decision support systems

8. Discussions

9. Microsoft Amalga - Example

10. Conclusion

11. References

By: Rajender Kumar Lakhanpal, FT11347

 Information Technology in Healthcare Industry

Abstract
The role of information technology and in particular the Project Management principles find a

great application in healthcare industry. The way in which the working and performance of all

systems in healthcare industry has changed is tremendous. This paper tries to look at the patterns

and trends of change in the Healthcare industry in last few years and how IT and Project

Management principles have found their application and thus have revolutionized the way

Healthcare sector used to work. Today, the profit margins, customer service levels, customer

satisfaction levels, better inventory management, improved coordination with suppliers and

prediction of upcoming trends have all seen a paradigm shift much to the credit of IT and Project

Management.

As we go ahead we will also discuss about one of the powerful Information systems built for the

Healthcare industry.

By: Rajender Kumar Lakhanpal, FT11347

 Information Technology in Healthcare Industry

Introduction

Healthcare Industry is perhaps one of the most complex industry models in the marketplace. It is

possibly the only industry in which the customer does not necessarily pay for the service

received but rather arrangements are made by the third parties with the service providers to

determine the payment rates and service types that are to be paid on behalf of the customer. The

nature of the services varies as per the variety of ailments that patients suffer from. This forms

the mix of the factors to be managed.

Healthcare organizations face complexities of numerous data exchanges that involve large

number of patients. Data exchanges can be impacted by myriad types of formats that are

captured and stored in a variety of databases. Further complexities are introduced in form of

"vocabularies" that are required for various types of services that vary from consumer to

consumer, area to area and service to service. Also, data comes from a multitude of different and

"niche" systems and is presented in different ways and needs to be integrated, processed and

presented to a in a consistent and coherent manner. Thus the combination of all these factors

describes the underpinnings of the healthcare informatics.

We know that data is building block of information, a very important resource to administrators,

practitioners and decision making authorities in healthcare organizations. The process of

converting data into information is a overwhelming task, and given the complexity the task is

challenging in this industry. The want to recognize what patterns of treatment for a variety of

conditions will produce the best outcome is profound. Healthcare organizations regularly lose

By: Rajender Kumar Lakhanpal, FT11347

 Information Technology in Healthcare Industry

money on certain categories of patients and it is important to understand where those areas are

and how to address them.

Changes in Demography, social and cultural factors are putting more pressure than before on

healthcare providers to be reachable, reasonable, and quick to respond. So, healthcare

organizations rely on technology to help achieve their objectives.

Key healthcare organization objectives include:

• Better quality of care for customers

• Improved patient outcomes and service

• Increased productivity and workflow efficiency

• Better information management at the point of care

• Improved and integrated communication

• Privacy and protection of patient information

The healthcare environment is one that calls for integration. Patients’ information is spread

across different systems in private and public healthcare entities, which makes it hard and costly

for healthcare professionals to distribute imperative medical, clinical, and patient information.

By: Rajender Kumar Lakhanpal, FT11347

 Information Technology in Healthcare Industry

IT, Informatics, and Healthcare Productivity

Use of Information technologies is one of the better ways to effectively manage the complex

nature of this industry. Applications like Web platforms, data storage, analytics software,

telecommunication and wireless communications systems, etc. can be very helpful in providing

critical information and speedy dissemination of information to those who require it and when

they require it.

Productivity, Efficiency, and the Uniqueness of Healthcare

In spite of the fact that the healthcare industry possesses very unique characteristics than those of

other sectors (For ex. patient-doctor relationships and the supreme objective of providing the best

quality of service and care to patients that can override business profit optimization goals),

healthcare still comprises of procedures and processes that can be made more efficient.

Technologies can be used to help providers discover more effective tactics of treatment that may

help in reducing bottlenecks in processes that can reduce waiting times for patients and other

customers and direct them to the most appropriate destinations/areas to properly address their

problems. Technologies can alleviate various complexities in the billing activities that can result

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 Information Technology in Healthcare Industry

in under/overbilling of recipients. Technologies can help in enhancing anticipatory treatment for

mitigating illnesses from developing into fully developed chronic diseases and in monitoring the

overall activities of the health providers, and this includes finally enhancing patient experience.

Informatics:

The science which is concerned with gathering, manipulating, storing, retrieving and classifying

recorded information from the various sources. Health/medical informatics is the combination of

informational science, computer science, and health care. It deals with resources, devices and

methods required to optimize the acquisition, storage, retrieval, and use of information in

healthcare and biomedicine. Tools related to health informatics include apart from computers

clinical guidelines, information and communication systems and formal medical terminologies.

By: Rajender Kumar Lakhanpal, FT11347

 Information Technology in Healthcare Industry

Project and Knowledge Management

Project management is what addresses the incorporation of the correct tactics to acquire the most

appropriate technology platform(s). For example, when a healthcare product/service provider

wants to establish a new database system that facilitates the conversion of conventional paper-

based routines into Superior digital assets for clinical and treatment activities, the organization

has to consider which technology has the best to offer with the most feasible functionality

corresponding to the operations of the organization. This will include the cost of the technology,

scalability, integration ability with existing systems, and user friendliness. Once the technology

is selected, various factors to promote the most seamless integration into the work environment

must be considered. This includes schedules, training for workers/users and eventually complete

rollout to the workforce. This theory overlaps project management to an extent while considering

implementation stages of the new technologies. It also considers additional critical factors of

ensuring the system’s adoption by users with the goal that it becomes a key component to the

everyday activities of its users. KM theory thus promotes the active utilization of information

and creation of knowledge within an organization, concepts that drive best practices, and

innovation.

Data Mining

Six Sigma is a method that gains advantage from data resources and incorporates statistical

applications and visual capabilities to address the process efficiencies and variance. By analyzing

data resources of operational processes with the use of statistical techniques, one can determine

which types of practices result in variances in performance. Designing Models for More robust

and sophisticated techniques for analyzing the data involve the utilization of quantitative

By: Rajender Kumar Lakhanpal, FT11347

 Information Technology in Healthcare Industry

methods and statistical testing in order to determine patterns and trends that may exist in

particular service activities.

Business Intelligence and Decision Support Systems

The analytic methods focus on presenting data in a timely and understandable manner, where

decision makers can quickly view the analytic platform(s) to identify factors impacting

operational performances. These data-driven software technologies and initiatives encompass the

sphere of decision support systems and business intelligence. The report generation, trend and

pattern analysis, quantitative and statistical analytics, graphical interfaces provide users and the

decision makers with timely, accurate and actionable information to enhance strategy

formulation. Informatics for improving efficiencies includes optimizing of resource allocations

corresponding to activities and procedures. The utilization of decision support systems and

business intelligence help reduce patients’ waiting times for treatment, adjusting treatment

procedures to enhance outcomes, reducing inefficiencies in billing, reducing lag times in lab and

radiology exam completion and reporting times etc. The result thus is efficient management of

healthcare operations and tracking of costs and care effectiveness and superior outcomes for

patients.

By: Rajender Kumar Lakhanpal, FT11347

 Information Technology in Healthcare Industry

Discussions

Four Key Areas of Focus for Healthcare Efficiencies

With the turbulent environment in the healthcare industry, it is great that healthcare organizations

are embracing the potential of technologies and informatics for leveraging information and their

ability to enhance efficiencies of operations. Informatics applications and capabilities within the

healthcare domain are categorized into following distinct areas:

1. Financial: This includes Tracking using activity-based costing, ensuring that services

provided are correctly billed, compensated and that expenses stay within budget. The

computerized financial systems help in generating data and report-driven balance sheets,

profit and loss statements and other accounting reports point to need for Informatics. For

example, many hospitals, especially non-profit systems, finance growth and other capital

initiatives through the effective use of fixed income securities, many of which may be

guaranteed by a governmental authority.

2. Clinical compliance: This includes ensuring that appropriate procedures are applied to the

right patient at the right time while making sure that staffing patterns and other reportable

parameters are performing within acceptable limits, and alerting as quickly as possible when

they are otherwise. Organizations such as Department of Health have very stringent, detailed

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 Information Technology in Healthcare Industry

regulations as to the exact protocols that need to be followed under different health care

circumstances. Also, government entities have set different levels of compliance for

organizations to protocol standards. If not complied, this can lead into lost revenue, lost

market share or diminished stature. Informatics, at an operational level, identifies falls risk

patients and facilitates analysis of other aspects of electronic medical records (EMRs) to

ensure that proper protocols are in place to mitigate the negative ramifications of falls risk.

3. Quality improvement: This includes the analysis of clinical data to find the protocols that

provide the best outcomes in an economically sustainable way. Equipments like Ventilators,

“smart” pumps, IVs, vital sign tracking monitors and other devices like these can

communicate to EMRs and thus populate data directly into an EMR which facilitated by

information technologies, offer a capability to page a clinician or otherwise to provide a real-

time alert if a certain clinical value is outside accepted standards. These technologies also

help for more advanced data analytics. Statistical analytics such as correlations help in

identifying the best possible order sets for a given condition. Informatics incorporating

statistical correlations and causation factors can identify that individuals who receive a

certain type of specialized therapy have much shorter lengths of stay and lower rates of

readmission than those who do not, for comparing different clinical regimens to factors such

as “patient satisfaction survey” scores, identifying whether certain high-priced medications

or medical devices may provide a less wanted outcome than lower-priced medications and to

identify which doctors have a tendency to order those medications. Looking at comparisons,

informatics will enable to compare physician ordering patterns with outcomes such as

reduced length of stay, reduced readmissions, lesser complications or co morbidities and

profit generation metrics. This provides an important level of responsibility.

By: Rajender Kumar Lakhanpal, FT11347

 Information Technology in Healthcare Industry

4. Patient satisfaction/marketing: Various aspects of a patient’s stay were problematic— how

are those measured, identified, and remedied for the future? Happy customers provide good

word-of-mouth recommendations of their experiences. A survey with a set of questions to

recently discharged patients can be very helpful. This kind of data can reveal areas where an

organization needs to fine-tune and make changes to certain operational processes that are

resulting in patient dissatisfaction and this gives an opportunity to be proactive and build

systems to automatically route these comments to the appropriate decision makers in the

organization and track the timeliness of resolution. Medicare regulations can be helpful to

spell out a formal defined procedure for grievances which have mandate about how facilities

need to address the grievances. The second type of satisfaction issues can be gathered from

surveys that are taken directly from the patient while he or she is in the facility. This ensures

timely feedback of issues while they are occurring and take steps to address them. Responses

can be entered into a database and tracked and checked for trends and areas of action over

time through the utilization of informatics methods. This type of survey has rapid response

capability. This can transform a dissatisfied customer to a satisfied one.

Patient/Consumer Data Privacy

The most critical element that needs to be maintained, analyzed, preserved and strengthened is

the privacy safeguards of healthcare-related data of individuals/patients. The integration of data

resources from various healthcare providers and databases will no doubt enhance efficiencies

from analytics capabilities and information generation. As developing more robust data resource

enhances efficiencies, it also introduces the requirements for strict, well-defined and enforced

standards to protect the privacy rights of individual customers for health-related data. New

By: Rajender Kumar Lakhanpal, FT11347

 Information Technology in Healthcare Industry

privacy policies need to be designed to address any changes that emerge within the dominion of

data access and exchanges in the evolving healthcare system.

Microsoft Amalga – A Powerful Information System – Example

Microsoft Amalga Hospital Information System - delivers a complete, agile hospital information

system that is affordable, flexible, and intuitive. It has been developed in collaboration with

pharmacists, nurses, physicians, auxiliary staff, and IT professionals and the solution was

designed to meet the needs of healthcare professionals while minimizing the cost of operations

and resources required by global healthcare organizations.

By: Rajender Kumar Lakhanpal, FT11347

 Information Technology in Healthcare Industry

Logical Diagram of Microsoft Amalga

Amalga HIS Radiology Management offers:

• Automatic order management

• Automatic scanning and attachment of hard copies to investigation orders.

• Image-manipulation tools

• Multiple language support for patient’s demographic and screen tag information

• Integrated database within Amalga HIS that makes information accessible directly from PACS.

By: Rajender Kumar Lakhanpal, FT11347

 Information Technology in Healthcare Industry

• Template-driven options including voice recognition and report production.

• Discerning report editor that works on written or dictated report.

• Customizable first choice tabs for planned investigations.

• Instantaneous investigation job to a particular radiologist at time of ordering.

• Warning/Alert system that provides real-time notifications to prevent redundancy of reports.

• Online historical studies for quick retrieval, regardless of the age of the investigation.

• Limitless investigation revisions that save any or all key images, windows-level settings, and

image remarks.

• Creation of CD for PACS studies, reports and EMR. Options include all or selected portions of

a patient’s EMR like DICOM and JPEG images and reports.

Conclusion
Today when we see that we the challenges to meet the expectations of customers and also to

survive against changing technology and strong competition the emphasis should be on

infrastructure that can have sustainable growth. The implementation of Information technology

systems can be really a great competitive advantage and revenue generating option and the past

records and the latest trends are a reflection of this. The challenge to move from Customer

satisfaction to Customer delight to Customer Astonishment can be met only through leveraging

the Information Technology systems and Project Management Principles.

By: Rajender Kumar Lakhanpal, FT11347

 Information Technology in Healthcare Industry

References
http://www.microsoft.com/amalga/products/microsoft-amalga-his/default.mspx

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2191/2401984942_e1f6a2ee38_o.jpg

http://www.pacificglobalsolutions.com/images/healthcare_chart.jpg

http://www.ittoday.info/Articles/Healthcare_Informatics.htm

http://www.heinz.cmu.edu/research/391full.pdf

http://cisco.biz/web/strategy/docs/healthcare/healthcare_industry_overview.pdf

www.wikipedia.org

By: Rajender Kumar Lakhanpal, FT11347