You are the chief information officer (CIO) of a large healthcare system. Medicare has mandated that all medical practices seeking Medicare compensation must begin using electronic medical records (EMR). Medicare has incentivized medical practices to place EMR in their offices by giving financial bonuses to medical practices that achieve certain goals.

Tasks:

Case Study Thirty-Six: The Electronic Medical Record: Efficient Medical Care or Disaster in the Making?

Read the above case study; your task would be to evaluate this case study utilizing the format below. Make sure to include at least two scholarly/peer-reviewed articles to help support your evaluation.

Case Study Evaluation

Prepare a written report of the case using the following format:

Background Statement: What is going on in this case as it relates to the identified major problem?

What are (only) the key points the reader needs to know in order to understand how you will “solve” the case?

Summarize the scenario in your own words—do not simply regurgitate the case. Briefly describe the organization, setting, situation, who is involved, who decides what, etc. Specifically identify the major problems and secondary issues.

What are the real issues? What are the differences? Can secondary issues become major problems?

Present an analysis of the causes and effects.

Fully explain your reasoning. Declare your role in a sentence or a short paragraph explaining from which role you will address the major problem and whether you are the chief administrator in the case or an outside consultant called in to advise.

Regardless of your choice, you must justify in writing as to why you chose that role. What are the advantages and disadvantages of your selected role? Be specific.

Recognize the strengths and weaknesses of the organization.

Identify the strengths and weaknesses that exist in relation to the major problem. Again, your focus here should be in describing what the organization is capable of doing (and not capable of doing) with respect to addressing the major problem. Thus, the identified strengths and weaknesses should include those at the managerial level of the problem. For example, if you have chosen to address the problem from the departmental perspective and the department is understaffed, that is a weakness worthy of mentioning. Be sure to remember to include any strengths/weaknesses that may be related to diversity issues.

Find out alternatives and recommend a solution.

Describe the two to three alternative solutions you came up with. What feasible strategies would you recommend? What are the pros and cons? State what should be done—why, how, and by whom. Be specific. Evaluate how you would know when you’ve gotten there. There must be measurable goals put in place with the recommendations. Money is easiest to measure; what else can be measured? What evaluation plan would you put in place to assess whether you are reaching your goals?

TIP: Write this section as if you are trying to “sell” your proposed solution to the organization. Convince the reader that your proposed solution is the best available and that it will work as planned. Make sure that the goals you identify are worth the effort required to achieve them!