Assessment 1 Instructions: EHR Adoption and Benefits
Prepare a 3-5 page workplace brief in which you analyze two EHR systems to determine which one best meets a
health care organization’s needs.
In this course, you will have the opportunity to get your hands on an electronic health record (EHR)! The EHR is a
system—a group of elements working together to perform a function. HIM professionals need to be subject matter
experts on the EHR’s various parts and how they are connected (Amatayakul, 2017).
Additionally, the EHR system does not work in isolation. It is part of the overall health IT system. As such, HIM
professionals need to be familiar with the systems development life cycle (SDLC), which is the “ongoing process of
developing information systems” (Amatayakul, 2017). This cycle includes these phases: planning, analysis, design,
implementation, testing, and maintenance. Issues can arise at each of these phases, and HIM professionals play a
key role in helping to resolve these issues.
Finally, as health care organizations continue their journey from paper to electronic health records, they are
discovering many benefits and challenges to EHR adoption. One such challenge is user resistance. Some EHR users
think the challenges of EHR implementation outweigh the benefits. HIM professionals play a key role in helping
users see the long-term benefits of EHR implementation. Ultimately, these systems will help them deliver quality
care to patients more efficiently.
Another key role HIM professionals play in EHR adoption is to help organizations implement an EHR in a considered
and strategic way. What exactly are the organization’s goals for EHR use? Which particular use has priority for
implemention? Which applications are needed, as opposed to those that are only desired? HIM professionals help
their organizations make these kinds of decisions.
In this first course assessment, you will assume the role of Vila Health’s EHR implementation consultant. One of the
major tasks you have been assigned is to determine whether Vila Health should continue to use its current system,
EHR Go, or whether a different EHR might better meet the organization’s needs.
Reference
Amatayakul, M. K. (2017). Health IT and EHRs: Principles and practice (6th ed.). Chicago, IL: AHIMA Press.
Demonstration of Proficiency
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the course competencies
through the following assessment scoring guide criteria:
Competency 1: Analyze the development and the role of EHRs in health care organizations.
Describe an EHR system’s characteristics.
Explain the EHR’s benefits and limitations.
Analyze challenges to EHR adoption.
Competency 4: Analyze the implications of an increase in data sharing resulting from EHR adoption in various
health care settings.
Compare/contrast EHR applications.
Competency 5: Communicate in a professional manner to support health data management.
Create a clear, well organized, professional workplace brief that is generally free of errors in grammar,
punctuation, and spelling.
Follow APA style and formatting guidelines for citations and references.
Preparation
The four assessments in this course require similar types of preparation:
Complete EHR Go activities.
Analyze a case study.
Conduct independent research into various aspects of EHRs.
The specifics of this preparation, however, vary from assessment to assessment. Please see the specifics listed below
to successfully complete Assessment 1.
EHR Go
As soon as your faculty member provides the information you need, create an account to access the EHR activities
planned for the course. If you need help with your EHR Go account, please contact the EHR Go help desk or phone
at 1-877-907-2186. Direct questions related to the content of the learning activities to your faculty member.
Before beginning your assessment, do all of the assigned EHR course activities. This will help to ensure you have the
skills and experience to apply to the case study analysis. Also, as you use various EHR applications, pay attention to
your experiences and lessons learned. This information will inform your completion of the assessment.
Complete these specific EHR Go activities for Assessment 1:
This first activity introduces basic navigational skills to review and enter data in an EHR.
EHR Go: EHR Orientation.
This second activity focuses on what the EHR can do and how it can be used.
EHR Go: The Power of the EHR.
This third activity provides you with a chance to practice editing information in an EHR.
EHR Go: Editing Patient Information.
Case Studies
Each course assessment requires you to select a case study to analyze and then incorporate into the assessment.
Choosing case studies that allow you to meet each assessment’s scoring guide criteria is your responsibility. Please
review the case study resources now to ease your path to assessment completion. For this first assessment, select a
case study that focuses on EHR characteristics and/or EHR applications.
HealthIT.gov. (n.d.). Case studies. Retrieved from https://www.healthit.gov/case-studies
At this link, you will find EHR implementation stories from providers around the country. In addition,
case studies from specific categories, such as meaningful use and health information exchange, are
provided. On the left hand side of the screen, be sure to click the + sign to open the list of case
studies.
Michigan State Medical Society. (n.d.). EMR in physician practices: A summary of 14 case studies to guide
Michigan physicians [PDF]. Retrieved from
https://www.msms.org/Portals/0/Documents/MSMS/Resources/For_Practices/HIT/EMR_Case_Studies.pdf
These studies fill a gap in research by providing physicians with examples of adoption by practices of
various sizes and settings.
Capella Library Databases.
This link takes you to a list of all Capella Library databases. Within this list, PubMed Central is a good
resource for case studies. Search electronic health records to get started.