There is a great need for the integration of informatics within the health care workforce. With technology fast changing, globally networked, multicultural, and multilingual, the need is enormous (Rodriques, R. 2000). The internet offers unprecedented power to provide users of healthcare information, with data that is timeliness, accurate, in-depth, and diverse (Mendel, B., 1999). In technology revolution, it is crucial the health care system evolve to the changing times. The need for the transition to technology is required. To help maintain reliable records, but also for integrity, security, privacy and confidentiality of patients records. Once an organization has decided to upgrade from paper charting to electronic health records, many factors are considered. An informatics needs assessment is a critical step in the selection an organization can make. The first step in this process, determines the need for electronic health record (EHR) and why.
Purpose of a needs assessment
Once the need is established, next determine the purpose. As stated by Hebda & Czar (2013) the purpose of the needs assessment is to define the gap between an organization’s current state and the needs of the organization with specific attention to the strategic plan. The needs assessment will assist in selecting the electronic health record and will assist the needs of the organization and practice with the vision and mission statement as goals. The need assessment will also help understand the extent of the problem and help gather information concerning the target population served. To accomplish a needs assessment, all the stakeholders that will be using the electronic health record, will need to have some input. Each of the stakeholders needs to express how the system will improve their job and needs in their area, of expertise. The input from the stakeholders will help design a program that will meet the desired goal of the population targeted.
Factors considered
One...