Complete a preliminary investigation, requirements analysis, and system recommendation

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Small System Design Project

You will use the information learned throughout the course to identify and document a full information system for a small company.  You will apply the basic steps of the SDLC to building the IT infrastructure for an electronic health care data system for an urgent care facility* for a (mythical) UMUC Student Health Service clinic by addressing what actions are taken and what decisions are made in each phase.

Make sure to address key technical issues from this course and to include and specify key elements and components of a computer system as covered in this course, including (but not limited to) the following (in no particular order):

CPU type, speed, etc

Memory type, size, speed, etc

Needed I/O devices

Networking

Operating system

Other required software

Shared resources

Data format

Storage

Common file format

Databases and DBMS

Security*

Privacy*

Etc.

The paper should make clear how the functional requirements of the clinic result in the specific technical design specifications, above.

The body of the paper should be no more than 12 point type, not less than 4 pages or 1200 words and not more than 10 pages or 2400 words, not including title page, table of contents, executive summary, and reference bibliography.  The paper will require a title page, a hot-clickable MS Word generated table of contents, executive summary, 4-10 pages of content with incorporation of a minimum of 3 external resources from credible sources, and a Works Cited/Reference page.

The paper should either detail each step in the SDLC (Systems Development Life Cycle) or should detail each step in the The Formal Systems Approach, whichever you determine fits your paper and approach better.  Either way, there should be an emphasis on the technology outcome and how it flows from the functional requirements.

Refer to both the document “SDLC Module 2 from IFSM 201” and other SDLC material in Course Content, and the material on the “The Formal Systems Approach” in Course Content and the Webliography or at http://polaris.umuc.edu/~kschank/Formal-Systems-Approach.htm.

(Remember that there are many variants of the SDLC other than what is presented in the above module.  You may use any variant of the SDLC that you wish provided that (a) it is logical and complete (and not pulled out of the air), (b) it is appropriate for the system you are designing in your paper, (c) you identify which variant you are using, and (d) you explain it.)

Make sure your paper identifies which approach you will employ, but clearly articulate the steps used to:

Complete a preliminary investigation, requirements analysis, and system recommendation

Specify a detailed design based on your set of requirements.

Develop the system according to your design specification.

Outline how you would test the system and gain user acceptance.

In your submission, be sure to include any references used in APA style (see the tutorial in the COURSE CONTENT menu) for your source information in a bibliography as well as cite them within the body of your paper.  Be sure to check your work for spelling and grammatical errors before submission.  Yes, spelling and grammar count. The intent of these topics is to provide you with an opportunity to hone your writing skills.

The paper must be your original work, in your own words, and written for this class.  Do not simply copy/paste information from the Web or textbook.  Such submissions will not be accepted for credit.  Research projects should be original work for IFSM 310; therefore, you may not re-use of a paper written you’ve written for a different class.

All “General Paper and Writing Requirements” for all papers (above) must be adhered to for this assignment, except as specifically noted (e.g., table of contents is required, page limits are 4-10 pages, etc.).

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* (Note that since this is a medical facility, your design should comply with Congressional regulations. Since 1996, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) details patient privacy and regulations for health care-related businesses.  In addition to HIPAA, there were two acts passed by Congress in 2009 that specifically garnered support for migrating to electronic medical records (EMRs).  The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act is specifically geared at providing financial incentives to health care organizations that migrate towards EMRs, with the intention of eventually replacing the incentives with penalties if providers do not institute electronic record keeping.  The second is the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA), which institutes funding for comparative effectiveness research (CER).  Analysis and aggregation of anonymized patient data in regards to conditions, treatment and progress can provide an invaluable source of CER to physicians and healthcare organizations in the treatment of patients.

Therefore, privacy and security requirements should be addressed.  However, computer architecture and system design are the primary subjects of this course and will be more important in the grading than the nuances of Federal law, privacy, and security.  It would therefore be a mistake to take so much time researching and designing for health care privacy and security laws that your hardware and software infrastructure suffered as a consequence.)

You may want to incorporate tables of technical specs, as that is often a more effective way than narrative paragraphs for presenting them.  Also, if you can, please try to draw a diagram of the system, either of its internal architecture and/or of its external connectivity, as appropriate.

For the employee handbook, create a policy for employee use of technology because new sources of social media and more advanced electronic devices are regularly being introduced to the market.

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1500-2000 words, 5 scholarly sources

Key Assignment Final Draft

Part 1:

The Key Assignment for this course will involve creating polices for the various laws that are covered in the employee handbook. The purpose of the handbook is to equip managers with the information they need to lead their teams. For this assignment, you will create a paper of 1000-1500 words. You should also research and utilize 4 academic sources in your assignment.

Include the information below in your assignment. When discussing each act, provide an example of how it might be violated by an employer or employee and the approach that can be used (such as EEOC, diversity, grievances, counseling, documentation, or termination) to address the violation.

  • A policy for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • A policy for the Age Discrimination in Employment act (ADEA)
  • A policy for dealing with different types of harassment.
  • A policy for the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
  • A policy for the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
  • A policy for the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
  • A policy for the Equal Pay Act (EPA)

Part 2:

Finalize your project by reviewing the feedback that you received from your instructor and your peers. Then, prepare a PowerPoint training presentation for employees to review the new policies (6-8 slides). At the end of the presentation, include 2 slides addressing:

  • For the employee handbook, create a policy for employee use of technology because new sources of social media and more advanced electronic devices are regularly being introduced to the market. Address topics such as: refraining from workplace commentary on social media, maintaining a professional image, what can be shared and what not to share on social media, harassment, privacy, and IT security.

LEGAL ASPECTS OF SAFETY AND HEALTH

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LEGAL ASPECTS OF SAFETY AND HEALTH

You receive a follow-up call from the area director saying the employee filing the original non-formal complaint has provided additional information about the alleged health situation and submitted a formal complaint using the OSHA-7 form, making the complaint a formal complaint. A few days later, an OSHA compliance officer shows up at your facility to perform a comprehensive inspection. The compliance officer presents the proper credentials, and you verify that the compliance officer is employed by OSHA and assigned to the local office.

During the opening conference, the compliance officer provides you with the formal complaint, alleging that employees are exposed to hazardous concentrations of metal fumes in welding areas of the plant, that you have not performed any air sampling to determine exposure levels, that adequate ventilation is not present in welding areas, and that adequate respiratory protection has not been provided to welders. As a part of the inspection, the compliance officer requests the following documents:

  • Chemical inventory list;
  • OSHA 300 logs;
  • Hazard Communication Program, including training records;
  • any sampling data that you have;
  • Respiratory Protection Program, including medical clearance letters and training records;
  • written hazard assessment for personal protective equipment (PPE) used at the facility;
  • Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) for the metals you use in the production process and any welding rods/wire used in the welding area; and
  • any other written programs you have that are required by an OSHA regulation.

The compliance officer takes a walk-through tour of the facility, spending extra time in the welding areas. During the walk-through, the compliance officer points out several issues believed to be apparent violations. The issues are as follows:

  • Heavy haze is present in the welding area.
  • Individuals wearing half-mask air-purifying respirators have full beards.
  • Employees are using chemicals that could be injurious to the eyes, and no emergency eyewash is present.
  • Eyewash is present in another area of the plant that is covered in dust, and there is no indication of recent operation or inspection.
  • Employees are using chemicals that could be absorbed through the skin and are not using any gloves.
  • Employees are performing maintenance inside a press with no lock-out/tag-out applied.
  • No written lock-out/tag-out program is available at the time of the inspection.
  • Welding operation is performed near flammable materials, and no fire watch present.
  • There is no record of training for fork truck drivers.
  • Extension cords are stretched across walkways.
  • Three containers are present in the plant with no label present on any of the containers.
  • An employee could not find a SDS for the chemical he or she was using.

The compliance officer asks for a private conference room and a list of non-managerial employees. He tells you that he intends to interview four non-managerial employees before leaving for the day. He also states that he will return the next day to collect some air samples at the facility.

You are worried about the number of citations and penalties that you may face. Provide a document summarizing the steps you would take as soon as the compliance officer leaves, and the steps you believe you could have taken during the walk-through that may have resulted in a quick-fix penalty reduction.

Your document must be at least three pages in length, not counting the title or reference pages. You must also include at least one reference using appropriate APA style.

Evaluate three (3) managerial challenges related to clinical indices, databases, and registries from the perspective of a hospital’s health information management function.

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Instructions

Imagine that you are the Director of Health Information for a large hospital. As Director, you sit on various institution-wide committees which govern the organization’s policies. You have seen issues arise that cause you to propose changes in policies, procedures and operations across the hospital. Therefore, you have decided to create a proposal to the CEO and Board of Directors, which you will develop in collaboration with committee teams. Please follow the instructions below in completion of this assignment.

Part 1

Competency Assessed

Instructions

1. Evaluate, implement and manage electronic applications/systems for clinical classification and coding

Select two (2) applications/systems for clinical classification and coding (e.g., encoders, computer assisted coding (CAC), etc.) and appraise each vendor in terms of (1) capacity to evaluate quality coding practices, (2) possible implementation considerations/issues, and (3) systems management challenges and training needs. Provide support for one system that you find as the “best option” with rationale.

2. Evaluate the accuracy of diagnostic and procedural coding

Consider the principles and applications of classification systems (e.g., ICD-10, HCPCS) and medical record auditing used within a clinical documentation improvement (CDI) program. Appraise the value and challenges of a quality CDI program by defending the need for ongoing CDI program support and critique at least three (3) challenges in the CDI process. Make connections between auditing, accurate diagnostic and procedural coding with classification systems, and CDI programs. Your executive summary should reflect upon the need for CDI and best practices for ensuring compliance.

3. Advocate information operability and information exchange

Critique one interoperability issue that is possible within the health information exchange (HIE) (e.g., patient identity matching). Appraise at least three (3) best practices that address the issue.

4. Evaluate health information systems and data storage design

Evaluate at least three (3) health information systems (HIS) and three (3) data storage designs (e.g., onsite, cloud). Select the best HIS and data storage design for disaster recovery purposes. Indicate your selections with rationale.

5. Manage clinical indices/databases/registries

Evaluate three (3) managerial challenges related to clinical indices, databases, and registries from the perspective of a hospital’s health information management function. Recommend three (3) best practices or policies related to the management of secondary data sources.

6. Evaluate data from varying sources to create meaningful presentations

With respect to data warehousing, appraise at least two (2) approaches in data warehouse design that supports quality data management from varying sources, processing/storage of data throughout the warehouse model, and meaningful output into the presentation layer. Summarize your recommendations in the executive summary.