Reflections In Healthcare: Itits 832 Personal Connection

Reflections In Healthcare Itits 832 Personal Connection

Reflections in Healthcare IT ITS-832 Personal Connection Assignment: Reflections of a Healthcare IT In this paper, I reflect upon my time as an IT manager at a private medical practice and reimagine it in light of skills, knowledge, or theories learned in ITS-832, InfoTech In a Global Economy. I was recruited in 2002 to manage the transformation from paper-based processes to an electronic health records (EHR) system. The primary drivers that influenced the company to begin the EHR adoption journey were increasing efficiency and accuracy of medical records and billing, and compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

As a newly minted IT manager, I did not have a “broad view" of IT management in a corporate setting and was primarily focused on performing my duties on a very technical level (hardware, software, networking, and applications). I never gave thought to how new technology and policies could shape organizational changes or how the development of new technologies brought about issues that warranted research and policy changes affecting the public. Therefore, I was never prepared to do any type of professional research outside of my technical IT support responsibilities. In ITS-832, the focus is on the effects that public policies have on information technology organizations. The classroom discussions included topics such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, social media, big data, and other disruptive technologies, and their implications in regard to international, national, regional, or local policies.

Emerging technologies such as these were not fully developed during that time, but if I were to reprise my role in a healthcare environment now, my job responsibilities as a healthcare IT manager would indeed involve many of these developing technologies. ITS-832 would have equipped me to more readily confront the challenges they bring.

A valuable skill that I have improved on from this course is performing literature reviews for researching IT and policy issues. At the beginning of the course, I looked at research papers with a bit of reluctance because they seemed so long and technical making it difficult for me to digest. From searching and reading many articles, I became more comfortable analyzing and absorbing peer-reviewed works.

On the job as a healthcare IT professional, I could have used this skill before and during the EHR implementation process to research technologies, processes, and issues and enhance the performance of my duties. Though I wasn’t part of the decision to adopt the technology, or even the vendor/product selection process, I feel I could have been a valuable contributor. One thing that ITS-832 has taught me while researching IT policy issues and organization change is that researchers ask a lot of questions, develop models, conduct surveys, and construct hypothetical scenarios in seek of solutions (a research methodology). The learning objectives of the course asked me to be aware of how researchers were conducting their research, who they were speaking to, how it relates to other researchers’ works, and what the recommendations were to advance the current body of knowledge or policy.

I feel that this builds upon my experience of reviewing literature and prepares me for higher-level responsibilities. One of the most important policies that affected the medical practice was HIPAA, which protects the personal health information of patients. Compliance with HIPAA was critical to the success of the practice and is a regulation that influenced how the business operated (transforming processes via an EHR system). Applied to my IT manager role, the lessons learned in ITS-832 may have enabled me to be part of the vendor selection process where I could have researched HIPAA regulations and evaluated whether a vendor’s solution would allow us to meet compliance and guarantee our purchase was the correct one.

I could have also provided recommendations during the implementation of the EHR system to encounter fewer obstacles and anticipate unknown issues. As a basic example, nobody predicted how challenging it would be for employees who had little to no experience with computer technologies to become proficient using a fully digital medical records system. Knowing what I do now from this course, I likely would have performed research on EHR implementation strategies, challenges, and experiences, which go beyond the vendor’s instructions and proposed to management that technology training was needed for nearly all of the employees (double-clicking, locking screens, strong passwords, encryption, etc. was foreign).

Having trained users can help support HIPAA compliance, too. This personal connection assignment has helped me realize that with just a few weeks into the course several useful skills, knowledge, and theories could have been very useful to me during my previous IT manager role in a medical practice. ITS-832’s focus on how public policy influences change in IT-driven organizations and its course objectives have helped me view the role in a broader lens. The assignments are teaching me to search for cited works, confidently analyze the methods used and findings, and generate questions regarding the recommendations for future activities. This will be very beneficial for future doctoral courses and in the work environment.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

The transformation of healthcare information technology (IT) systems, especially electronic health records (EHR), has significantly impacted the efficiency, accuracy, and compliance within medical practices. Reflecting on my tenure as an IT manager, this paper discusses how key skills and knowledge acquired from the course ITS-832, "Information Technology in a Global Economy," could have been leveraged to improve project outcomes, ensure regulatory compliance, and navigate organizational change more effectively.

Background and Context

In 2002, my role involved leading the shift from paper-based medical records to a comprehensive EHR system. The primary motivation was to improve operational efficiency, facilitate billing accuracy, and ensure HIPAA compliance. At that time, my understanding of the broader implications of technology, especially how emerging policies and disruptive innovations could influence organizational dynamics, was limited. My responsibilities centered around technical support—hardware, software, networks, and applications—without much consideration of policy impacts or technological innovations like cloud computing or artificial intelligence that are prevalent today.

Impact of Course Learning on Professional Practice

The ITS-832 course provided a critical shift in perspective by emphasizing the influence of public policies on IT organizations. Through classroom discussions and readings, I learned about disruptive technologies such as AI, cloud computing, big data, and social media, and how their integration can be shaped by international, national, or regional policies. This knowledge is essential for healthcare IT managers, whose decisions often intersect with regulatory frameworks and technological developments.

One of the most valuable skills I gained was conducting literature reviews as part of research methodology. Initially, I found peer-reviewed articles intimidating due to their length and technical language. Over time, I became adept at analyzing these sources, which are vital for informed decision-making in healthcare IT. For example, during EHR implementation, I could have utilized this skill to investigate best practices, challenges, and solutions documented in scholarly research.

Application to Privacy and Security Policies

HIPAA's regulations are central to healthcare IT, safeguarding patient information and guiding compliance requirements. From the course, I learned the importance of understanding policy details, such as security standards and data encryption, to evaluate whether vendors' solutions align with legal obligations. Had I engaged in such research during vendor selection, I could have ensured that the chosen system adequately supported HIPAA compliance.

Furthermore, understanding organizational change theories and research methodologies could have enhanced my approach to staff training and adaptation during EHR deployment. Recognizing the challenges faced by staff with limited technological proficiency, I would have initiated comprehensive training programs informed by research on effective change management strategies, thus minimizing resistance and errors.

Policy-Driven Organizational Change and Challenges

The course also illuminated how policies influence organizational change processes. Implementing a new IT system like EHR is not purely technical—it also involves managing human factors, workflows, and cultural shifts. Awareness of policy implications helps managers anticipate resistance, plan communication strategies, and allocate resources accordingly.

For example, confidential patient data security, mandated by HIPAA, required staff to adopt new security behaviors such as strong password practices and encryption procedures. Adequate training, informed by research, could have facilitated smoother transitions and ensured ongoing compliance.

Future Implications and Recommendations

The reflective insights gained suggest that integrating policy awareness and research methodologies into healthcare IT projects enhances outcomes. Specifically, I recommend that future healthcare IT managers:

- Engage in thorough literature reviews on emerging technologies and policies.

- Incorporate policy analysis early in the vendor selection process.

- Develop comprehensive staff training programs using evidence-based change management strategies.

- Monitor and adapt organizational workflows to align with evolving policies and technologies.

Such approaches can reduce obstacles and foster sustainable implementation of healthcare IT solutions.

Conclusion

My experience as a healthcare IT manager highlighted the importance of integrating technical skills with policy understanding. The ITS-832 course has broadened my perspective, emphasizing that technological innovations are deeply intertwined with policies and organizational dynamics. Applying these insights can lead to more effective, compliant, and resilient healthcare IT systems, ultimately improving patient care and organizational performance.

References

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