Health Information System Cost-Benefit Analysis
Complete a Vila Health interactive simulation in which you will practice analyzing the costs and the benefits associated with having the newly acquired rural hospitals switch to the same health information system currently used at the main hospital. Then, develop a cost-benefit spreadsheet and write a 2–3-page executive summary of your findings and recommendations.
Note: The assessments in this course build upon the work you have completed in the previous assessments. Therefore, complete the assessments in the order in which they are presented.
Meeting current and future needs means that health care managers must be able to analyze the costs and benefits of implementing new health information systems or taking on new health informatics projects. Cost-benefit analysis is a model that will help managers communicate and justify their projects. It is important for managers to translate the investment of health information technology into a benefit that the organization notices and feels.
This assessment provides an opportunity for you to complete a cost-benefit analysis of a health information system and justify your recommendations for implementation, based on best practices.
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:
· Competency 4: Forecast future organizational needs and/or applications of technology based on evolving business trends.
1. Identify gaps between current technology and future needs.
1. Determine the impact of evolving business trends on system upgrade decisions.
. Competency 5: Analyze current and future system needs and cost-benefit factors to define requirements for system selection.
2. Identify the components of a health information system.
2. Analyze the costs of implementing an upgraded system.
2. Analyze the benefits of implementing an upgraded system.
2. Analyze the costs and benefits of not implementing an upgraded system.
2. Make implementation recommendations based on a cost-benefit analysis.
. Competency 6: Communicate effectively with diverse audiences, in an appropriate form and style, consistent with applicable organizational, professional, and scholarly standards.
3. Write clearly and concisely, using correct grammar, mechanics, and APA formatting.
Competency Map
Check Your ProgressUse this online tool to track your performance and progress through your course.
Resources
Templates
. APA Style Paper Template [DOCX].
1. Use this template for your executive summary.
. Cost-Benefit Analysis Spreadsheet [XLSX].
2. Use this spreadsheet for your analysis.
Required Resources
The following resources are required to complete the assessment.
. Vila Health: HIMS Cost Benefit Analysis | Transcript.
3. This multimedia simulation will enable you to practice analyzing the short- and long-term costs and the benefits of implementing Vila Health’s existing health information system at one of the newly-acquired rural hospitals.
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Suggested Resources
The resources provided here are optional. You may use other resources of your choice to prepare for this assessment; however, you will need to ensure that they are appropriate, credible, and valid. The MHA-FP5064 Health Care Information Systems Analysis and Design for Administrators Library Guide can help direct your research, and the Supplemental Resources and Research Resources, both linked from the left navigation menu in your courseroom, provide additional resources to help support you.
Adoption of Health Information Systems
The following articles examine issues surrounding the adoption of health information systems, which may be helpful when considering cost-benefit analyses.
. Adler-Milstein, J., Everson, J., & Lee, S. D. (2015). EHR adoption and hospital performance: Time-related effects. Health Services Research, 50(6), 1751–1771.
4. This study looked for evidence of a relationship between the adoption of an EHR by hospital and hospital performance.
. Ben-Assuli, O., Ziv, A., Sagi, D., Ironi, A., & Leshno, M. (2016). Cost-effectiveness evaluation of EHR: Simulation of an abdominal aortic aneurysm in the emergency department. Journal of Medical Systems, 40(6), 1–13.
5. This study examines whether health information technologies are cost-effective by current standards and whether they improve decision making and the quality of care.
. Bergmo, T. S. (2015). How to measure costs and benefits of ehealth interventions: An overview of methods and frameworks. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 17(11), e254.
6. Examines how to best apply cost-benefit evaluation methods to health information technologies.
. Price, M., & Lau, F. (2014). The clinical adoption meta-model: A temporal metamodel describing the clinical adoption of health information systems. BMC Medical Informatics & Decision Making, 14(1), 1–23.
7. Presents an accessible model to aid implementers, evaluators, and others in the planning and implementation of health information systems.
Writing Resources
You are encouraged to explore the following writing resources. You can use them to improve your writing skills and as source materials for seeking answers to specific questions.
. APA Module.
. Academic Honesty & APA Style and Formatting.
. APA Style Paper Tutorial [DOCX].
Library Resources
. Journal and Book Locator Library Guide.
· Assessment Instructions
Note: Complete the assessments in this course in the order in which they are presented.
Preparation
Leadership at Vila Health has asked for a cost-benefit analysis to address the pros and cons of having the newly acquired rural hospitals switch to the same health information system currently used by Vila Health.
Complete the Vila Health: HIMS Cost-Benefit Analysis interactive simulation, linked in the Resources. Gather information about the health information system being used by the main hospital. Speak with department heads to obtain their insights, and consider short- and long-term costs and benefits. You may also find it useful to review previous Vila Health simulations.
In addition, use the Capella University Library to explore topics relevant to currently available health information system technology and its costs and benefits.
Requirements
· Conduct a cost-benefit analysis to determine the feasibility of the proposed system upgrade. Use the Cost-Benefit Analysis Spreadsheet, linked in the Resources, for your analysis.
· Write an executive summary of your findings, recommendations, and rationale for your recommendations.
Note: Remember that you can submit all—or a portion of—your draft executive summary to Smarthinking for feedback, before you submit the final version for this assessment. If you plan on using this free service, be mindful of the turnaround time of 24–48 hours for receiving feedback.
Document Format and Length
Format your executive summary using APA style.
· Use the APA Style Paper Template, linked in the Required Resources. An APA Style Paper Tutorial is also provided (linked in the Suggested Resources) to help you in writing and formatting your executive summary. Be sure to include:
. A title page and references page. An abstract is not required.
. A running head on all pages.
. Appropriate section headings.
· Your executive summary should be 2–3 pages in length, not including the title page and references page.
Supporting Evidence
Cite at least two sources of credible scholarly or professional evidence to support your cost-benefit analysis.
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Note: The requirements outlined below correspond to the grading criteria in the scoring guide. Be sure that your cost-benefit analysis addresses each point, at a minimum. You may also want to read the HIS Cost-Benefit Analysis Scoring Guide to better understand how each criterion will be assessed.
· Identify the components of the health information system.
. Consider all system components that should be factored into a cost-benefit analysis.
· Identify gaps between current health information technology and future needs.
. What effect might forecasted future needs have on present system integration decisions?
· Analyze the costs of implementing an upgraded system.
. Identify all cost items that should be included in the analysis.
. Consider short- and long-term costs.
. Consider the relevant issues, objectives, and leadership decisions that should be factored into the analysis.
. What additional information could improve the analysis?
· Analyze the benefits of implementing an upgraded system.
. Identify all cost items that should be included in the analysis.
. Consider short- and long-term benefits, as well as the potential benefits to the organization, including patient care.
. Consider the relevant issues, objectives, and leadership decisions that should be factored into the analysis.
. What additional information could improve the analysis?
· Analyze the costs and benefits of not implementing an upgraded system.
. Consider the short- and long-term costs and potential benefits to the organization, including patient care.
. Consider the relevant issues, objectives, and leadership decisions that should be factored into the analysis.
. What additional information could improve the analysis?
· Determine the impact of evolving business trends on system upgrade decisions.
. What business trends have the potential to drive future health care informatics and IT needs?
. How might these trends influence your cost-benefit analysis and project implementation recommendations?
. What evidence do you have to support your assertions and conclusions?
· Make implementation recommendations based on your cost-benefit analysis.
. Justify your recommendations with well-reasoned rationale.
· Write clearly and concisely, using correct grammar, mechanics, and APA formatting.
. Express your main points and conclusions coherently.
. Proofread your writing to minimize errors that could distract readers and make it more difficult for them to focus on the substance of your analysis.