Strategic Planning for Health Care Information Systems

Strategic planning for health care information systems revolves around implementing electronic medical records (EMR) and establishing a reliable network infrastructure that is compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This act specifically addresses IT-based health information systems. Implementing an EMR involves moving all clinical and patient information from paper records to digital data to be managed by software applications. For most health care organizations, this process is a major shift that affects clinical work flow and office administration.

Choosing an EMR Provider

• The first step for a strategic initiative with health care information systems is selecting an EMR system and provider. Generally EMRs are provided as software as a service, meaning you will outsource the support of the software and have the application hosted by a third party. Analyze the type of health care service you provide, then seek out an EMR solution that fits your administrative and clinical requirements. Some EMR solutions are designed for specific practices or work better to manage information on particular procedures. With a shift to EMR, it is critical that computer and network systems are monitored and secure to avoid downtime or data loss. Be prepared to take some time with this process, as there are a large number of vendors for EMR solutions.

IT Infrastructure and HIPAA

• If you are involved with strategic planning for health information systems, start by familiarizing yourself with requirements of HIPAA, which sets standards for the privacy and security of patients' health records. As you plan out your network systems, you need to insure that data transfer and storage will be done in a secure manner that is HIPAA-compliant. Work with an IT vendor who is familiar with HIPPA and offers network security solutions and off-site data backup that meet these regulations.