Formulation of the Problem
The main issue lies in the procedures of standardization for the programmers who work with EMRs’ implementation. During the process of setting the code, the IT team was confused by the number of variables’ variations. Furthermore, multiple ones can exist even for a single measure like milligram. The problem is also complicated by the habits of different departments to use numerous variants of terms. However, the team emphasizes that “we have to decide just one” (Brown, Patrick, & Pasupathy, 2013, p. 35). In other words, the records should be created with unified terms, instead of an array of multiple variants of the same information. As a result, the team is unable to produce integrated records which properly include the data from all the departments. Hence, team members question whether it is possible to achieve a complete standardization since their project will not be finished without finding a solution.
Attempts to Solve
The team working on the project is inclined to ask the interested parties for unification. After all, the success of their task depends on a timely resolution of the issue. Hence, an email containing the description of the problem is de facto the strategy for solving it. The staff will address leading organizations which work on the EMR implementation, such as EMR Steering Committee and Medical Records Committee. However, the appeal to higher institutions is not considered the only solution they have found at hand. The IT team primarily aims the email to be addressed to “a member of the health informatics group”, questioning if they can provide any suitable options meanwhile (Brown et al., 2013, p. 35).
The problem can be defined more distinctively, or, instead, in a broader spectrum. The standardization issue does not only apply to the measuring terms but also for numerous types of information used in the EMR. For instance, according to Cantor and Thorpe, social determinants of health also may be placed in the center of standardization problems connected to EMR deployment. Hence, the issue covers a significant part of data which is viable for EMR, including several measuring aspects. Moreover, the range of the matter is complemented by the opinion of the personnel working with EMR. As Topaz et al. state, medical staff complains about the lack of standardization as one of the critical issues on a system level. Thus, the problem includes the aspects beyond measures and is mentioned by the employees as the encompassing problem.
Final Solution
The solution that the IT team tries to reach follows a correct course, but it can be developed into a more elaborate set of measures or replaced by a more productive way. According to Keshavjee et al., the researchers propose three approaches to solving standardization problems, depending on the key actors. The team’s appeal to the medical institutions working for the EMR implementation is one of the mentioned options which makes physicians primarily responsible for the data unification. However, the team could take a more active approach by taking up the responsibility of standardization upon themselves. In other words, instead of waiting for the response from the medical personnel, the team may try to unify the measures through their efforts. Although the consultation with healthcare organizations would help in achieving the goal, the objective of solving the problem would be closer if one acts immediately.
References
Brown, G., Patrick, T., & Pasupathy, K. (2013). Health informatics: A systems perspective. Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press.
Cantor, M. N., & Thorpe, L. (2018). Integrating data on social determinants of health into Electronic Health Records. Health Affairs, 37(4), 585-590.
Keshavjee, K., Williamson, T., Martin, K., Truant, R., Aliarzadeh, B., Ghany, A., & Greiver, M. (2014). Getting to usable EMR data. Canadian Family Physician, 60(4), 392.
Topaz, M., Ronquillo, C., Peltonen, L.-M., Pruinelli, L., Sarmiento, R. F., Badger, M. K., … Lee, Y.-L. (2016). Nurse informaticians report low satisfaction and multi-level concerns with Electronic Health Records: Results from an international survey. AMIA Annual Symposium Proceedings Archive, 2016, 2016-2025.