C791 Paper.docx - Running head ADVANCED INFORMATION...

Running head: ADVANCED INFORMATION MANAGEMENT 1
Advanced Information Management and the Application of Technology
Tara Garofalo
Western Governors University

Advanced Information Management 2
Advanced Information Management
This paper will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a health information system
(HIS). It will cover patient care, documentation, and will also discuss how accessing and
reviewing the information will allow the nurse to deliver quality care. HITECH and HIPPA
security standards will be discussed and how the HIS can help protect patient privacy. Does
using a HIS help with organizational efficiency and productivity? When implementing a new
HIS who should be on the interdisciplinary team and how will the efficacy of the HIS be
evaluated?
Advantages and Disadvantages of a Health Information System
Health information systems (HIS) are a huge part of today’s healthcare system and need
to be carefully evaluated for their advantages and disadvantages before implementing one. Epic
electronic charting is one of the most widely used health information systems out there today.
Many hospitals and health care facilities have transitioned over to it in the last decade. Usability
is important when it comes to using a HIS. Usability is the ease of use and learnability of a
human-made object such as a tool or device. In software engineering , usability is the degree to
which a software can be used by specified consumers to achieve quantified objectives with
effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction in a quantified context of use (Wikipedia, n.d.).
For a HIS to be effective, it needs to be user friendly and easy to navigate. Some
advantages to using Epic in the hospitals are its interoperability and that it allows companies to
choose from hundreds of third-party apps to select what best suits their practice needs. Working
for different hospitals that have had Epic, not all of them had the same features, but the core of
the charting was the same and that makes it easier for transitioning. The main disadvantage of
Epic is the cost. It is not a cheap program to implement, but in the long run, it can be very

Advanced Information Management 3
beneficial. One usability issue that can occur within HIS is not being able to view different parts
of the patients’ charts simultaneously. To be able to view lab results a nurse would have to close
out their assessment before opening another window, which can lead to frustration on the nurses’
end.
Per HIMSS (2020), interoperability is the ability of different information systems,
devices and applications (‘systems’) to access, exchange, integrate and cooperatively use data in
a coordinated manner, within and across organizational, regional and national boundaries, to
provide timely and seamless portability of information and optimize the health of individuals and
populations globally.