As A Professional Nurse, You Are Expected To Apply Your Exp ✓ Solved

As a professional nurse, you are expected to apply your exp

As a professional nurse, you are expected to apply your expertise to patient care. On occasion, you will also be expected to share that expertise. With evolving technology and continuous changes to regulations designed to keep up these changes, there is usually a need to share information and expertise to inform colleagues, leadership, patients, and other stakeholders. In this assignment, you will study a recent nursing informatics-related healthcare policy and share the relevant details via a fact sheet designed to inform and educate.

To prepare, review the resources on healthcare policy and regulatory/legislative topics related to health and nursing informatics. Consider the role of the nurse informaticist in relation to a healthcare organization’s compliance with various policies and regulations, such as the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA). Research and select one health or nursing informatics policy (within the past 5 years) or regulation for further study.

The assignment involves creating a fact sheet that your healthcare organization could hypothetically use to explain the health or nursing informatics policy/regulation you selected. Your fact sheet should address the following:

  • Briefly and generally explain the policy or regulation you selected.
  • Address the impact of the policy or regulation you selected on system implementation.
  • Address the impact of the policy or regulation you selected on clinical care, patient/provider interactions, and workflow.
  • Highlight organizational policies and procedures that are/will be in place at your healthcare organization to address the policy or regulation you selected. Be specific.

Paper For Above Instructions

Fact Sheet: Understanding MACRA - A Key Nursing Informatics Policy

The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) was enacted in 2015 to reform the Medicare payment system. It introduced the Quality Payment Program (QPP) to enhance care delivery, promote quality over quantity, and streamline payment for healthcare services. Under MACRA, healthcare providers can choose between two payment pathways: the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APMs). This fact sheet will explain the implications of MACRA on nursing informatics and care delivery.

Policy Explanation

MACRA aims to improve healthcare quality and efficiency by incentivizing providers to focus on the quality of care instead of the volume of services rendered. MIPS, the more commonly adopted pathway, consolidates several existing incentive programs into a single score based on four performance categories: Quality, Cost, Improvement Activities, and Promoting Interoperability. The latter category emphasizes the importance of healthcare technology adoption and health information exchange, which directly impacts nursing informatics practices (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.).

Impact on System Implementation

The implementation of MACRA necessitates the integration of advanced health information technology systems. Healthcare organizations must adopt interoperable electronic health records (EHRs) that can support data exchange among providers, aligning with the Promoting Interoperability category of MIPS. This includes selecting EHR systems that fulfill the requirements of meaningful use and facilitate clinical data registry participation, which is essential for tracking quality metrics (HealthIT.gov, 2018a). Nurse informaticists play a pivotal role in system implementation by ensuring that the technology supports clinical workflows while enhancing user experience.

Impact on Clinical Care, Patient/Provider Interactions, and Workflow

MACRA enhances clinical care delivery by incentivizing providers to engage in quality improvement activities and align with patient-centered care principles. The regulation encourages the use of data analytics to assess and improve patient outcomes. This shift impacts patient-provider interactions as providers become more focused on delivering evidence-based care, which improves communication and satisfaction (American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 2018). Additionally, workflows are optimized when providers have access to streamlined data, which informs clinical decision-making and reduces administrative burdens. Nurse informaticists facilitate this process by designing workflows that leverage health technology effectively.

Organizational Policies and Procedures

In response to MACRA, healthcare organizations must establish clear policies and procedures that ensure compliance with the QPP requirements. This includes regular training for staff on how to effectively use EHR systems and understand performance metrics relevant to MIPS. Organizations should also develop protocols for reporting and documenting quality measures, ensuring all nursing staff are aware of their role in contributing to quality improvement initiatives. Furthermore, it is essential to implement continuous monitoring that assesses the effectiveness of these policies and identifies areas for improvement.

Moreover, nursing leadership must be engaged in the policy-making process to advocate for resources and support necessary to comply with MACRA. Establishing interdisciplinary committees can facilitate collaboration between nursing informaticists, clinical staff, and administration to promote compliance with new standards (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2017).

Conclusion

In conclusion, MACRA represents a significant shift in healthcare policy aimed at improving patient care quality through the use of data-driven practices. Nurse informaticists are essential in implementing technological solutions that enhance the adoption of MACRA principles in clinical settings. By understanding the implications of MACRA, healthcare organizations can better prepare for compliance and ultimately improve patient outcomes through informed and evidence-based practices.

References

  • American Association of Nurse Practitioners. (2018). MACRA/MIPS: The transition from fee-for-service to quality-based reimbursement. Retrieved from [link]
  • HealthIT.gov. (2018a). Health IT legislation. Retrieved from [link]
  • HealthIT.gov. (2018b). Meaningful use and MACRA. Retrieved from [link]
  • McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2017). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (4th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Laws & Regulations. Retrieved from [link]
  • [Additional references here]

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