Case Study: Five Years Ago Cardiologists Timothy Jones And D

Case Study Five Years Ago Cardiologists Timothy Jones And Dolores Gar

Case Study Five years ago, cardiologists Timothy Jones and Dolores Garcia decided to combine their individual practices in Brea, California, to form New Century Health Clinic. They wanted to concentrate on preventative medicine by helping patients maintain health and fitness and by providing traditional medical care. Dr. Jones recently asked you to work with him as an IT consultant. He wants you to help New Century develop an information system that will support the clinic's operations and future growth.

At your initial meeting, he provided you with some background information and asked for your suggestions about how to begin. At your desk, you begin to review New Century's situation. The clinic is located near a new shopping mall in a busy section of the city. New century's staff includes four doctors, three registered nurses, four physical therapists, and six office staff workers. The clinic currently has a patient base of 3500 patients from 275 different employers, many of which provide insurance coverage for employee wellness and health maintenance.

Currently, New Century accepts 34 different insurance policies. Anita Davenport, who has been with New Century since its inception, is the office manager. She supervises the staff, including Fred Brown, Susan Gifford, Tom Capaletti, Lisa Sung, and Carla Herrera. Fred Brown handles office payroll, tax reporting, and profit distribution among the associates. Susan Gifford is responsible for the maintenance of patient records. Tom Capaletti handles most of the paperwork concerning insurance reporting and accounting. Lisa Sung has the primary responsibility for the appointment book, and her duties include making reminder calls to patients and preparing daily appointment lists. Carla Herrera is concerned primarily with ordering and organizing office and clinic supplies. Each of the six office staff has one or more primary responsibility; however, all members of the staff help out whenever necessary with patient records, insurance processing, and appointment processing. In addition to their regular responsibilities, all six office workers are involved in the preparation of patient statements at the end of each month.

Using this information, you begin to prepare for your next meeting with Dr. Jones. NEED SYSTEMS REQUEST

Paper For Above instruction

As an IT consultant working with New Century Health Clinic, my primary goal is to develop a comprehensive system request that delineates the necessary information system components essential for supporting the clinic’s operations and future expansion. The system request acts as a foundational document guiding the development and implementation phases, ensuring alignment with user needs, operational workflows, and strategic goals.

System Purpose and Scope

The primary purpose of the proposed information system is to streamline administrative and clinical operations at New Century Health Clinic. It aims to enhance data accuracy, improve scheduling efficiency, facilitate insurance processing, and support billing and reporting processes. The system must accommodate current staff responsibilities while providing scalability for future growth, including potential expansion of services or staff.

Key Functional Requirements

• Patient Management: Maintain comprehensive patient records, including personal data, medical history, treatment plans, and contact information. The system should support quick retrieval and updates of patient information.
• Appointment Scheduling: An integrated scheduler that allows Lisa Sung and staff to manage appointments, send reminders, and avoid conflicts or double-bookings.
• Insurance Processing: Automate insurance policy tracking, claim submission, and status updates for the 34 insurance policies accepted. The system should facilitate insurance billing and keep records of reimbursements.
• Billing and Payments: Generate patient statements, track payments, and manage billing cycles. All staff involved in statements and billing demands need access to up-to-date financial data.
• Staff and Office Management: Maintain employee roles, responsibilities, schedules, and payroll data, supporting Fred Brown’s responsibilities.
• Reporting and Compliance: Generate reports for tax, profit sharing, insurance claims, and clinic performance metrics. Ensure data security and compliance with healthcare regulations such as HIPAA.

Non-functional Requirements

• Secure data storage aligning with healthcare privacy laws
• System scalability to support future growth and increased patient load
• User-friendly interface accessible to clinic staff with varying technical skills
• Robust backup and disaster recovery mechanisms
• Integration capabilities with external insurance providers and healthcare networks

Operational Constraints and Considerations

• Limited budget for initial system acquisition and implementation
• Potential resistance to change among staff accustomed to manual processes
• Need for staff training and ongoing support
• Compatibility with existing hardware and software infrastructure

Conclusion

The system request points toward a modular, scalable healthcare information system tailored to the needs of New Century Health Clinic. It will facilitate smooth clinical and administrative operations, improve data accuracy, support compliance requirements, and enable the clinic’s growth. The next steps involve detailed analysis, vendor evaluation, and stakeholder engagement to refine system specifications and develop a comprehensive implementation strategy.