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Consider the following business case study on Improving Public Health Informatics. As a competent project manager working for a consulting company, the Program manager has called you in for advice on the current project communication plan. Please bear in mind that you are acting independently, and as an experienced PM write a report on the following points: 1. Report your assessment of the current project communication plan. 2. Compare your assessment with sound project management practices. 3. Recommend a communication plan for future project involving stakeholders from different sectors 4. Justify your recommendation Case Study: Improving Public Health Informatics In the event of a major disease outbreak, senior managers need to respond in a timely fashion. To be able to do so, one needs to have all the latest information and data to make an appropriate decision. The County Health Department (CHD) ’ s strategic plan specifies increasing capacities for the program evaluation and response to major communicable disease outbreaks. Senior managers have identified the need to improve informatics capacity as an important step toward meeting these goals. Currently, each community health services program of CHD has information systems that effectively track specific information for their assigned work. However, the systems were designed reactively without considering future expansions or an updated public health data plan. Each data base is almost a standalone system. While the state data bases are linked to CHD ’ s data bases, the environmental data bases are not linked with communicable disease data bases. Representatives from the Tuberculosis (TB) program, for example, had to enter identical client information in four different places. Moreover, the state mandates the public health department report the health conditions of its citizens and control infectious diseases. In order for this to happen, one needs informatics systems that are capable of tracking infectious diseases and reporting all investigations in a timely manner. While the benefits of an integrated data base stand out, most employees in CHD are reluctant to change, particularly with regard to adopting and using a new technology as evidenced by the implementations of the EMR systems and other specifically designed data bases. To ensure success of the implementation, the project manager must provide relevant information to the stakeholders on a regular basis. This case focuses on project communication management, especially within the communication plan. THE BIG PROJECT: It all began when a new epidemiologist, hired by CHD, articulated the need to have an integrated public health informatics system. With the new system, the reporting of infectious diseases as well as possible future outbreaks could be done in a timely fashion. The decision makers can then make an appropriate decision. The communicable disease section of the county health department has taken the lead in championing this project. The team includes two IT engineers and the epidemiologist, who will be overseeing the project. The team is responsible for gathering business processes and information system requirements, working closely with stakeholders, and at the same time, training IT engineers using the best practices developed by the Public Health Informatics Institute (PHII). The project duration is expected to be from six to twelve months and the team will provide monthly updates as well as ad hoc updates whenever specific information is needed by the stakeholders. The team has extensive experience in working together on previous successful projects such as the EMR implementation, EPIC implementation, and the communicable disease data bases’ statewide expansion. It is the team’s firm belief that this project, to integrate a variety of data bases into a system that can communicate to one another, is doable. PM: The initial idea of this project was formulated several years ago but it did not get the support it needed. Now we are bringing it back to life. And I know that you guys (IT engineers) are in favor of it and are ready to take the lead in this, with interoperability and data sharing in mind, while at the same time conforming to Public Health Informatics Institute’s best practices. Dan: Correct. However, I am wondering who is going to fund this project as the health department is struggling and currently lacks the necessary resources. PM: There is a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) which is affiliated with the Public Health Informatics Institute who specifically funds the struggling local health department’s public health information systems to meet their daily operational needs. I am going to put together the grant proposal and I need inputs from you guys. Tim: Let me know what you need. Dan: Do we have full support of the department leadership this time? PM: Yes, this time we have the absolute support of the entire leadership team. However, we have to make sure that we keep them updated with project status. In fact, learning from past projects, communication is very important for system implementation. We have to make sure that we communicate well with all project stakeholders. Tim: I agree. But, all stakeholders? That will be tough. COLLABORATIVE PROCESS AND COMMUNICATION PLAN To engage project stakeholders, the team followed a collaborative process (Figure 10.3 ). By following the process, external and internal stakeholders understood the information system’s support role as well as how it worked. The team also developed a communication plan and used it to avoid communication breakdown and, more importantly, to ensure that appropriate correspondence existed between all stakeholders in the project. An example of the communication plan is shown in Table 10.4

Paper For Above instruction

The assessment focuses on analyzing and improving communication strategies within a public health informatics project. This involves evaluating the existing communication plan, comparing it with established project management best practices, proposing a more effective future communication plan for multi-sector stakeholders, and justifying this recommendation to ensure successful project outcomes.

Effective communication is fundamental for project success, especially in complex health informatics initiatives involving diverse stakeholders and data systems. The current communication plan, as described, emphasizes regular updates and ad hoc information sharing, aiming to keep stakeholders informed and engaged. It relies heavily on team meetings, monthly reports, and stakeholder updates. While this approach fosters transparency, it has limitations such as potential information overload, lack of tailored communication methods, and risk of stakeholder disengagement, especially given the project's complexity and diversity of involved sectors.

From a sound project management perspective, an ideal communication plan should incorporate systematic stakeholder analysis, clear communication objectives, tailored messaging strategies, and defined communication channels. It should align with project scope, stakeholder influence, and informational needs, utilizing tools such as stakeholder matrices, communication matrices, and feedback mechanisms. The current plan's emphasis on regularity aligns well with best practices but needs enhancements like customized communication approaches for different stakeholder groups, proactive risk communication, and integration of digital collaboration tools.

In planning future projects involving stakeholders from multiple sectors—government agencies, unions, private contractors—a comprehensive, multi-layered communication plan is crucial. Such a plan should include stakeholder analysis to identify their informational preferences and influence levels, establish tailored communication channels (e.g., briefings, dashboards, workshops), and foster two-way communication to build trust and facilitate collaboration. Regular feedback loops are essential to adapt messages based on stakeholder responses, ensuring clarity and engagement.

Additionally, in the context of diverse stakeholders, it is recommended to incorporate a combination of formal reporting, informal briefings, stakeholder workshops, and digital platforms such as project management software and social media channels. This hybrid approach accommodates varying stakeholder needs, enhances transparency, and helps mitigate misunderstandings. Clear governance structures for communication responsibilities, escalation procedures for issues, and continuous monitoring of stakeholder satisfaction are also vital.

The justification for this approach stems from research indicating that stakeholder engagement and tailored communication significantly impact project performance, especially in public health projects where timely information dissemination can influence policy and response actions. Tailored communication strategies reduce misinformation, promote stakeholder buy-in, and foster a collaborative environment vital for complex, multi-sector projects.

References

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