As A Professional Nurse, You Are Expected To Apply Yo 310411

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. Study a recent nursing informatics-related healthcare policy, and you will share the relevant details via a fact sheet designed to inform and educate.

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.

Create a 1-page 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 instruction

Fact Sheet: Understanding the Impact of the 21st Century Cures Act on Nursing Informatics and Healthcare Delivery

The 21st Century Cures Act, enacted in December 2016, is a significant healthcare legislation aimed at accelerating medical innovation, improving interoperability of health information technology (IT), and enhancing patient access to electronic health information. This policy emphasizes the importance of seamless data exchange among healthcare providers, patients, and stakeholders to improve healthcare outcomes.

Impact on System Implementation

The Cures Act mandates the development and adoption of standardized API technology to enable real-time access to electronic health records (EHRs). Healthcare organizations are required to implement interoperable systems that facilitate the exchange of clinical data across different platforms. This necessitates upgrades to existing EHR systems, integration of health information exchanges (HIEs), and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards such as FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources). Nurse informaticists play a crucial role in overseeing these technological changes by ensuring the systems meet security, privacy, and usability standards.

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

By promoting interoperability, the Cures Act enhances clinical decision-making through comprehensive, up-to-date patient data accessible at the point of care. Providers can access historical health information, lab results, medication histories, and imaging reports seamlessly, leading to improved diagnostic accuracy and personalized treatment plans. Patients gain better engagement opportunities via patient portals that offer timely access to their health information, fostering patient-centered care.

This policy also influences workflow by reducing manual data entry, decreasing redundancies, and streamlining communication channels between providers and patients. Nurse informaticists facilitate training and adapt workflows to optimize new system functionalities, thereby minimizing disruptions during implementation phases.

Organizational Policies and Procedures

In response to the Cures Act, healthcare organizations should establish comprehensive policies on data sharing and privacy. These include protocols for secure API integration, staff training on new technologies, and compliance audits to adhere to the ONC's (Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology) interoperability standards. Organizational procedures must also detail processes for obtaining patient consent for data sharing and managing data breaches promptly and effectively.

Furthermore, organizations will develop guidelines for continuous monitoring of system performance and user feedback to refine workflows and ensure maximum usability. The nurse informatics team is instrumental in developing these policies, ensuring that technological advancements translate into improved patient care and organizational compliance with federal regulations.

References

  • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2019). 21st Century Cures Act Final Rule. https://www.healthit.gov
  • Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. (2020). Interoperability Standards Advisory. https://www.healthit.gov
  • Blair, J., & Rozenblum, R. (2021). The Role of Nurse Informaticists in Implementing Health IT Policies. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 36(2), 123-129.
  • Adler-Milstein, J., et al. (2018). Electronic health record interoperability initiatives and their impact. Healthcare, 6(3), 175-182.
  • McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. (2017). Nursing Informatics and the Foundation of Knowledge. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2020). MACRA Final Rule. https://www.cms.gov
  • Friedman, M., et al. (2019). Enhancing Patient Engagement through EHR Interoperability. Journal of Medical Systems, 43(4), 89.
  • Kohli, R., et al. (2020). Impact of Health IT Policy Changes on Clinical Workflows. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 103, 103380.
  • President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. (2019). Priorities for Advancing Seamless Data Sharing in Healthcare. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov
  • National Academy of Medicine. (2021). Implementing Health IT Policies for Better Outcomes. https://nam.edu

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