Case Study: Process Analysis

Case
Study: Process Analysis

Before you begin this assignment, be
sure you have read the “UMUC Family Clinic Case Study” and readings which discuss Electronic Health Record (EHR) functionality and
Process Workflow Analysis and Mapping. 

Purpose of this Assignment

This assignment gives you the
opportunity to apply your analysis skills to model a health care business
process in an ambulatory setting.  Modeling
the process as it exists (and as it will exist) will aid in the analysis, selection
and implementation of the EHR system for the medical practice.  In this assignment, you will develop 2 process
maps (AS-IS and TO-BE) for the patient visit clinical process workflow. This
assignment addresses the following course outcome to enable you to:

• Evaluate the organizational
  environment in the health care industry to recognize how technology
  solutions enable strategic outcomes.
• Analyze
  the flow of data and information among disparate health information
  systems to support internal and external business processes.

Family Clinic Medical Practice

In order to apply technology to a
process, the process must be thoroughly understood and models are used for this
purpose.  The model also supports
business process analysis and redesign when the process is deemed to be
inefficient or ineffective.  In addition,
models are used to design the “TO-BE” process that describes the desired end
state after the technology solution is developed.

In analyzing and improving clinical
processes, one should consider the following questions: 

· 
Are administrative processes organized, efficient, and well
documented?

· 
Are clinical workflows efficient, clearly mapped out, and understood
by all staff?

· 
Are data collection and reporting processes well established and
documented?

For your
Stage 1 Project for the Case Study, you
will develop model of the patient visit process used at the UMUC Family
Clinic.  You will create a model of that process
which defines in detail the steps in the process as they are done today.  Then, you will create a model of the proposed
new process, as it will be performed after an EHR system (IT solution) is
implemented. 

Assignment

For this assignment you will:

1.  List at least three
objectives or goals that Dr. Martin has, and briefly explain how an EHR system
can help him with each objective.  Note
that a minimum of 4 objectives or goals are needed to earn the full points.

2.  Next you will model the patient
visit process as it is currently performed at the UMUC Family Clinic; this is
the AS-IS Process.  Draw a process model
to show the major steps in the patient’s visit to the UMUC Family Clinic from
the time they arrive until they leave.  This patient is a returning
patient, will receive a prescription based on earlier blood test results sent
from the laboratory, and his insurance company will be billed for the
visit.  You must refer to the AS-IS process as described in the case,
cover all the current steps and be careful not to oversimplify.  The
objective here is to correctly map the current state of the process, so the improvements offered by the TO-BE process (Item 3 below) are
clear.  “Patient enters –> gets prescription –> leaves office
(insurance company is billed)” is not a reflection of the current
state. 

3. 
Then you
will model the way that you expect the new patient visit process to function
after a technology solution (EHR System) is implemented and the process is improved;
this is the TO-BE Process.  NOTE: We
are NOT specifying the specific technology in the TO-BE Process.  Identifying the specific technology will be
part of a later stage assignment.

As you develop your models, review
the Week 2 readings on processes, process analysis and process modeling.  You will use flowchart symbols to indicate process
steps, decision points, etc.  The
flowchart symbols to be used and examples of how to use them to illustrate the
work flow can be found in the “Flowchart” lecture.  You may use Microsoft Word, Excel or Power
Point to develop your process models.  If
you use another product, it is your responsibility to ensure it can be read
using the Microsoft Office products. 

All references and citation in APA only.

Tools for Creating the Models

The
following are two URL’s that have a more detailed description of Flow Charting
and its uses: http://www.hci.com.au/hcisite2/toolkit/flowchar.htm 

http://asq.org/learn-about-quality/process-analysis-tools/overview/flowchart.html

To create a flow chart in Word 2007 and
2010:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkN0dekcsmw

To create a flow chart or process map in
Excel:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_R73RVfHl0

To create a flow chart in PowerPoint:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8erOL-3Bho