Oak Township Medical Center Case Study

 

 

Oak Township Medical Center (OTMC) in Georgia, a 600-bed hospital, has expanded
significantly over the past 3 years. In an effort to respond to the increased workload of
all hospital staff, the chief information officer (CIO) and the vice president of patient care
services (VP-PCS) at OTMC determined the need to analyze hospital processes
throughout the organization.
The OTMC organizational analysis revealed a number of areas that needed
improvement. At the same time, broad changes in regulatory requirements required
immediate adjustments in processes.
The organizational analysis was conducted across all departments and found the
following organization-wide issues:
 Quality reviews discovered a hospital-wide medication administration error rate of
20% with some tasks identified as redundant tasks.
 Complying with new federal reporting requirements has increased the time
needed to complete the medication administration process.
OTMC responded to the problem by purchasing an enterprise-wide healthcare
information system (HIS) from Topmost, one of the leading enterprise-software vendors
in the country. The functionality of the system directly addresses the medication
administration issues found in the organizational analysis. Several modules of an
electronic health record system (EHRS) have already been implemented, as shown in
the table below. As an employee of Topmost, you are charged with implementing this
medication administration system (MAS) for OTMC, the final phase of the EHRS
project. This MAS includes an electronic medication administration record (eMAR),
Barcode Medication Administration (BCMA), and physical administration of medication.
Note: For the remainder of this scenario, this whole process will be referred to as the
Medication Administration System (MAS).
Module Implementation Status
Module in the HIS
System
Status of Module Implementation
Fully
implemented
Partially
implemented
In pilot Not yet
implemented
ADT (Accounting System) X
Order Entry/Results
Reporting OE/RR)
X
Billing and Financials X
Ambulatory and Acute
Care Clinical
X
© 2020 Walden University 2
Module in the HIS
System
Status of Module Implementation
Fully
implemented
Partially
implemented
In pilot Not yet
implemented
Documentation System
Laboratory X
Medication Administration
System (MAS)
X
Note that the MAS module has not been implemented.
The CIO and VP-PCS relate that there are a number of challenges associated with the
OTMC HIS program, including the MAS project. One risk is that the initial
implementation of the MAS may result in a temporary increase in medication errors.
Another risk is that staff resistance to the new workflows and processes brought about
by the MAS may cause delays in the completion of the implementation.
In meetings with the CIO and VP, they state that the first task is to develop the project
charter. The MAS team is assigned specific elements to be included in the project
charter: the mission of the project, the problem statement, the project objectives, key
stakeholders, milestones, and risks for the project.
A new chief medical information officer (CMIO) has been hired. This CMIO does not
have the informatics expertise required to lead this critical and large project; however,
the CMIO has gained solid experience on small-scale decision-support projects at a
former institution while studying informatics in graduate school. The CMIO is looking
forward to learning from you.
The budget for the MAS project is approved up to $1 million. If more than $1 million is
needed to implement the project, the additional expenditure must be justified in a project
plan that key stakeholders approve. The software application for the MAS and
necessary hardware have already been purchased, but they have not been delivered.

 

Sample Solution

This document outlines the project charter for the implementation of the Medication Administration System (MAS) within the existing Topmost Healthcare Information System (HIS) at Oak Township Medical Center (OTMC). This project builds upon the previously implemented modules of the Topmost EHRS and aims to address the hospital’s identified issues of medication administration errors and compliance with new federal reporting requirements.

2. Mission Statement

The mission of the MAS project is to improve patient safety and medication administration efficiency at OTMC by implementing a comprehensive and integrated electronic medication administration system. This system will streamline workflows, reduce medication errors, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, ultimately leading to better patient care.

3. Problem Statement

OTMC currently faces significant challenges in its medication administration processes:

  • High error rate: A 20% hospital-wide medication administration error rate poses a serious threat to patient safety and necessitates immediate improvement.
  • Redundant tasks: Inefficient workflows contribute to error risk and waste valuable staff time.
  • Increased reporting burden: New federal reporting requirements lengthen the medication administration process, further impacting staff workload and patient care time.

4. Project Objectives

The MAS project aims to achieve the following objectives:

  • Reduce medication administration errors by 50% within six months of implementation.
  • Increase efficiency and decrease redundant tasks within the medication administration process by 20%.
  • Improve compliance with new federal reporting requirements by 100% within three months of implementation.
  • Enhance workflow integration and data accuracy across the OTMC clinical environment.
  • Increase staff satisfaction and adoption of the new system through comprehensive training and support.

5. Key Stakeholders

The success of the MAS project relies on the active participation and collaboration of a diverse group of stakeholders, including:

  • Executive sponsors: CIO, VP-PCS, CMIO
  • Project team: System analysts, programmers, trainers, support specialists
  • Clinicians: Physicians, nurses, pharmacists
  • IT staff: Network administrators, security experts
  • Other impacted departments: Laboratory, administration

6. Milestones

The following key milestones will be achieved throughout the implementation process:

  • Month 1: Complete system configuration and customization.
  • Month 2: Conduct pilot testing with a limited user group.
  • Month 3: Refine system based on pilot feedback and complete user training.
  • Month 4: Begin phased rollout across all departments.
  • Month 5: Monitor system performance and address any post-implementation issues.
  • Month 6: Evaluate project success based on objectives and conduct user satisfaction surveys.

7. Risks and Mitigation Strategies

Potential risks associated with the MAS project and their mitigation strategies include:

  • Increased medication errors during initial implementation: Implement a phased rollout with continuous monitoring and support.
  • Staff resistance to new workflows: Provide comprehensive training, address concerns early, and incentivize system adoption.
  • Technical challenges during system integration: Conduct thorough testing and implement a robust backup plan.
  • Budgetary constraints: Justify any additional resource needs through data-driven cost-benefit analysis.

8. Communication Plan

Regular communication with all stakeholders throughout the project is crucial for success. The communication plan will include:

  • Project kick-off meeting: Introduce the project goals and team to all stakeholders.
  • Project status updates: Inform stakeholders of progress, challenges, and solutions through regular meetings and reports.
  • Training sessions: Equip users with the knowledge and skills to effectively utilize the MAS.
  • Open communication channels: Encourage feedback and questions through designated channels (email, help desk, suggestion box).

9. Conclusion

The successful implementation of the MAS at OTMC has the potential to significantly improve patient safety, medication administration efficiency, and regulatory compliance. This project charter provides a clear roadmap for achieving the project objectives and overcoming potential challenges. The commitment and collaboration of all stakeholders are essential in ensuring the successful implementation of this vital system.

10. Next Steps

Following the approval of this project charter, the project team will proceed with the following:

  • Finalize the detailed project plan, including resource allocation and budget tracking.
  • Recruit and finalize the project team members.
  • Begin system configuration and customization activities.
  • Develop comprehensive training materials and schedules.
  • Schedule and conduct the pilot testing phase.

The MAS implementation is a significant undertaking at OTMC, and this project charter lays the foundation for a successful and impactful transformation of the hospital’s medication administration processes.

Note: This charter provides a template for the first 2000 words. You can expand on each section with further details, data, and specific plans based on the provided scenario and your understanding of healthcare information

This question has been answered.

Get Answer