Discussion Boards Hsa 520

Has 505 The major online computer services such as Health Grades, America Online Inc. , and WebMD provide health news and medical and health forums where users can access medical libraries, exchange messages, and discuss health problems. In what ways might the growing use of these services by consumers affect future strategies for: Family practitioners? HMOs? Technology refers to the innovations or inventions from applied science and research. According to the book, adult use of the Internet as a health information source has increased dramatically. A lot of people use the Internet to find out different diseases and illness. From a family practitioner perspective use of the Internet could be a god thing. Most people find their health care providers from the Internet and also find out about health care issues. The Internet sites allow patients to gain knowledge about what is going on with their health and help solve questions they might have. Health care coverage through the use of an HMO costs less than comparable traditional health insurance, with a trade-off of limitations on the range of treatments available. HMO might view the internet site as an advantage because that’s where majority of people to research information and this could better help HMO reach out to the general population. They can get information from potential health care seekers based off the information they are providing on the sites, it could also help them use advertise strategies to put information out there to people. Internet sites have their advantages and their disadvantages but it seems there are more advantages than not. A primary care medical group has a list of patients who had once used the group on a regular basis as their primary source of care. However, in scanning their records, these patients had not been in for an appointment in the past two (2) years. The senior partner wants to send them an informational flyer about the practice and a refrigerator magnet that has the group’s telephone number and after-hours service number. As the marketing director for the practice, evaluate this approach in light of the HIPAA regulations. Is it acceptable to implement this marketing plan under the current regulations? Explain your answer. HIPPA is used to facilitate health insurance portability, protect patient security and privacy of information, and further reduce health care fraud and abuse. HIPPA requires all health care providers to have patient consent for access to their medical records or information. According to the book, data will need to be aggregated so that medical information cannot be attached to names and addresses of individual patients. Patient identifiable information cannot be use of marketing items. Under the current regulations there are some marketing strategies that can take place but it cannot have any patient information if it is not related to treatment or payment of their care. If the organization does not have the consent of the individuals to use their information that I don’t think that it would be acceptable. Has 520 Discuss the factors that should be considered when developing a consistent IM / IT strategy. Explain your rationale. Information systems should support the strategic goals, and objectives, and priorities of the organization they serve. The factors that should be considered when developing a consistent IM/IT strategy are: 1. Aligning IM/IT with organizational strategy: This is important because there is a need for interrelationships among IM/IT, the rest of the organization and the external environment. 2. Developing IM/IT infrastructure, architecture, and policies: This plan should identify the major types of information required to support strategic objectives and establish priorities for installation for computer applications. 3. Setting IM/IT project priorities, and overseeing investments: The organization needs to be aware of the investments and where their money is going and for what projects it is going to. They have to set boundaries and have set priorities. 4. Using IM/IT benefits assessment to enhance accountability: Accountability is very important to any organization. Knowing what they have and what they are missing is very vital. Analyze the various approaches to reviewing software and hardware standards and make at least three recommendations for improvement. Provide specific examples to support your response. Three recommendations for the various approaches to reviewing software and hardware standards are: 1. Data compatibility-use of common codes and data definitions for electronic information exchange across an organization. Its important that any organization make sure the soft ware and hardware is compatible to the systems they are trying to use. 2. Central review ensures that hardware and software will ne of a type that can receive technical support and maintenance from the information system staff. . Central review can help prevent illegal use of unlicensed software within the organization. Integration discusses the advantages and disadvantages of end-user computing and determines if this is an application that should be progressively pursued. Explain your rationale. End-user computing offers the potential to expand the base of IM/IT development and overcome issues that arise when a low priority is assigned to certain applications that are nevertheless viewed as important to units within the organization. Some of the advantages of end user computing are overcoming shortages of professionals, establishment of user friendly and responsive systems, and overcoming implementation problems. Some other advantages are the systems tailored to users, enables creative use of IS, generates competitive advantage, overcomes backlog by providing systems that IS could not get round to doing, puts users nearer the information, allows for variety, Increases user awareness of IS, and Relieves work load of IT professional. The disadvantages are that they produce inappropriate systems, causes duplication, takes users away from their real job, ignores long range and technical issues, courts disaster due to lack of attention to procedures, and causes integration problems. From the e-Activity, discuss what additional challenges exist with systems integration between / among health care organizations and possible solutions to those challenges.