PROCESS ASSESSMENT

FUNCTIONAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT

FOR
PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY PROFESSIONALS
ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD IMPLEMENTATION

PREPARED BY: PARAMOUNT MD GROUP, IT CONSULTANTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.

TEAM MEMBERS...................................................................................................................2

2.

PROCESS ASSESSMENT..........................................................................................................2

3.

FUNCTIONAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT........................................................................................5

Techniques Used..............................................................................................................................5
FUNCTIONAL NEEDS PATIENT PORTAL..........................................................................................6
FUNCTIONAL NEED CHART ACCESS..............................................................................................6
FUNCTIONAL NEEDS ELECTRONIC ORDERS AND E-RX................................................................7

1. TEAM MEMBERS
1

Title

Project Manager

Role

Project Team lead

Contribution
Title

Leadership, project scope and oversight, resource acquisition to

facilitate project completion, contract and budget adherence
Team Facilitator

Role

Team organizer

Contribution
Title

Work breakdown structure, provides guidance and keeps

discussions on track
Technology Support Analysts

Role

Operational technology support and development

Contribution
Title

Ensures that the technical aspects are in place and operational

throughout the project through System build and customization
Training Manager

Role

Training program development and implementation

Contribution
Title

Provides training project plan develop and organize training

necessary to use the system
Educator

Role

Provide training to end-users

Contribution
Title

Provides training to all users to ensure proficiency in new

system and to provide support at go-live.
Physician Champion

Role

Subject Matter Expert for Physician users and clinical policies

Contribution

Identify clinical needs and approve proposed workflows.

2. PROCESS ASSESSMENT
Process: Evaluate Appointment Preparation Process
Process Type
Map the current process

Description
Front Office clerks are responsible for locating and

Identify Issues

retrieving patient charts for daily appointments.

There is a not an electronic tracking mechanism for charts
and it is difficult to locate the charts for patient under
current treatment because it may be in the doctors office

or out for sending information to coding or in the nurses

area for prescriptions or business office for treatment
Identify Improvements

authorizations.
EHR will offer the ability for multiple users to access
clinical information. The system has a tracking
mechanism for paper charts and it will be easier to
determine the location of charts. There would also be
benefit in converting the current charts by scanning

Obtain approval of new

certain historical documents into the EHR system.

Business Manager and Physician champion to review

workflows

proposed process and conversion plan. Upon approval

they will incorporate new workflow for chart requesting
into policy and procedure documentation to reflect
changes.
If the chart conversion is approved, project manager will
contract with temporary staffing service to provide
additional labor for scanning.
EHR team will provide training to staff with regard to

Train and Implement new

new workflows.

processes
Process: Electronic Documentation, CPOE & e-Rx
Process Type
Map the current process

Description
Analyst to work with Physicians to development
templates to ensure efficient and meaningful

Identify Issues

documentation.
Improve current issues with difficulty reading handwritten
notes and improve patient safety and streamline process
through computerized order entry and e-prescribe. At this
time, prescriptions are hand-written and the patients
family members have to hand carry and have experienced
delays due to dosing questions or contra-indications with
other medications.

Identify Improvements

Electronic documentation will ensure consistency in note

content and provide a better continuum of care by being
able to share clinical documentation effectively both
within the office and with other providers. E-Rx will

Obtain information from

allow efficient and safe prescribing.

Compile data from clinical users and assist with template

clinical staff regarding

development. Ensure that e-prescribe and order sets are

charting needs and develop

developed to meet the needs of the practice. Test orders

templates

and E-Rx extensively prior to go-live.

EHR team will provide training to staff with regard to

Train and Implement new

new workflows.

processes

Process: Implementing a patient portal

Process Type
Obtain baseline data

Description
Obtain baseline data by surveying users to establish their

Select

wants and needs of a patient portal

Select information and documentation to be included in

Map
Collect
Identify

the patient portal

Map users during actual performance
Collect feedback from users
Identify concerns, problems, and changes that need to be
made
Incorporate changes and modifications

Incorporate

3. FUNCTIONAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Technique Used
For the patient portal assessment, surveys were used. There are two surveys created; one for
provider users and one for patient users. The surveys ask both provider and patient users what
their wants and needs of a patient portal are; as well as their desired benefits and expectations of

the patient portal. These surveys will help to establish the information to be included in the
patient portal.
The second technique used to gather data is that of observation. IT staff are to observe and map
users during current workflow to determine what their needs in the system will be and to
incorporate the functionality into the system workflow.
Following Go-live observations of the real-time use will be observes and measured to ensure the
usefulness of the system and ensure that the system is working as expected. The IT staff must
document any interruptions, discrepancies, and any other issues that arise during real-time use.
This data will provide performance functionality as it happens revealing the need for changes
and modifications.
Finally, at 30, 60 and 90 days after go-live, feedback survey to internal users will be used as an
additional means to identify the systems issues or opportunities for enhancements. Just like the
surveys, the feedback information is to come from both provider and patient users.
The clerical staff will be in charge of emailing portal users after 90 days, asking them to offer
feedback regarding their experience with the system. This data will further identify necessary
changes and modifications.
FUNCTIONAL NEEDS PATIENT PORTAL

Resource
Providers

Discoveries
Ability to upload patient specific medical information

Patients

directly to the patients specific portal

Access to up-to-date patient specific medical
information that includes demographics and past to

IT Staff
Clerical Staff

current office visits

Instant and automatic notifications of system errors
Regular reminders of what information and for whom

needs updated to portal system.

FUNCTIONAL NEED CHART ACCESS

Resource
Release of

Discoveries
There are significant delays in fulfilling releases due

Information staff

to documenting on paper in several clinical areas. The

charts may be unavailable if the patient has current

Physician

appointments.
Physicians are frustrated by the process because the
charts are frequently unavailable if they are also need
by another provider for treatment or documentation

Coding delays

completion.
Coding vendor has determined that there are delays
due to lack of documentation. Currently notes have to
be duplicated and faxed and there are delays in
sending this information. Additionally when the notes
are sent they are difficult to read and may be
incomplete.

FUNCTIONAL NEEDS ELECTRONIC ORDERS AND E-RX

Resource
Providers

Discoveries
Ability to enter patient specific orders for medical
plan of care or prescriptions will ensure higher
accuracy and efficiency. Calls to clarify hand-written

Patients

or verbal orders will be decreased.

Up-to-date information entered real-time and ordered
directly to the pharmacy will alleviate the burden to
the patient (family) and will ensure patient safety by

Office Staff

reducing dosing errors.

Decrease in the number of calls for dosing

Pharmacy Staff

clarification and instructions.

Increase efficiency for the pharmacists by having
clearly documented prescribed information. This also

reduces their risk