The Impact OF Nursing Informatics on Patient Outcomes and Patient Care Efficiencies

The Impact OF Nursing Informatics on Patient Outcomes and Patient Care Efficiencies

In addition to the fundamental aspects of care quality and safety, the efficiency of care delivery and its impact on patient outcomes have become pivotal metrics for assessing the effectiveness of healthcare practices. Technology’s integration into the healthcare sector has become indispensable, and nursing informatics plays a crucial role in facilitating the seamless adoption and integration of health information technology (IT) tools and projects into care delivery and operational processes. According to McGonigle and Mastrian (2022), nursing informatics involves the integration of data, IT, information, and knowledge to support nurses, clinicians, patients, and other stakeholders in making informed decisions about addressing patients’ needs. Technological projects have been embraced in care delivery and nursing practices to enhance efficiency and patient outcomes. This project proposal outlines a nursing informatics initiative aimed at improving either patient outcomes or care efficiency.

Project Description (Patient Queue Management)

Patient experience in healthcare settings significantly influences their overall care outcomes. The adoption of queue management systems can reduce both actual and perceived waiting times, thereby enhancing care effectiveness, efficiency, and the ability to achieve desired patient outcomes. Mosier et al. (2019) emphasize that effective patient management practices enhance an organization’s operational efficiency and service quality by reducing waiting times and aligning care delivery with desired outcomes and efficiency goals. The implementation of a queue management system would provide real-time queue status updates, notifications to care providers regarding patient flow, status checks, virtual queuing, appointment booking, and integration with other systems to prioritize cases such as emergencies, elderly patients, pregnant individuals, and those with disabilities. When patients visit healthcare facilities, they may be stressed, in pain, or discomfort, and their primary focus is to receive the best and most comforting care possible (Sipes, 2016). The queue management system not only improves the patient experience but also optimizes staff and clinician management. The project’s implementation would lead to improvements in patient experience, care efficiency, and staff productivity. It would help manage appointments for both in-patients and out-patients and reduce patient waiting times.

Stakeholders Impacted By This Project

Interprofessional collaboration and teamwork have become critical elements of effective healthcare performance and the delivery of safe, high-quality care. In the context of the proposed project, various stakeholders will be affected by its implementation. These stakeholders include patients, nurses, other care providers, nurse informatics and IT experts, organizational leaders, and administration. Patients would be the primary users and beneficiaries of the project. The system would enable them to schedule and reschedule doctor appointments and virtually monitor hospital traffic, allowing them to visit at their most convenient times. Ng et al. (2018) emphasize that patients are more satisfied with healthcare environments where they receive prompt service upon entering the care facility. Implementing a patient queue management system enhances patient experience, ensuring their needs are addressed promptly, thereby leading to better outcomes.

IT and nursing informatics experts are essential stakeholders in the proposed project. The project’s foundation lies in IT knowledge, tools, and skills, making the input of IT experts indispensable. These experts would ensure that the system meets the necessary application and organizational requirements. According to Bidari et al. (2021), information technology has become a prerequisite in today’s healthcare industry, making it an integral part of the proposed project. In addition to developing and implementing the project, the IT team would help maintain other systems and related technologies. The project provides an opportunity for them to utilize their skills and IT knowledge, positively influencing patient experience, improving patient outcomes, and enhancing care efficiency.

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Organizational leaders and administrators will jointly provide the necessary financial support for the proposed project and approve its implementation. Their role is to evaluate the overall benefits of the project and ultimately provide the support required, including authority, end users, and the final product of the system. They will also communicate the impending change to other employees, creating a positive environment for the project’s implementation. Finally, nurses and other care providers work within the healthcare organization. Care providers will be critical users and beneficiaries of the project concerning patient management. They will actively use the system to schedule patient visits and monitor incoming traffic, preparing for potentially busy periods, such as emergencies. The care providers will play a crucial role in implementing and evaluating the project, ensuring that it meets the needs of both patients and the organization in terms of care delivery.

Patient Outcome or Patient-Care Efficiencies This Project is Aimed at Improving

The implementation of a patient queue management system is expected to yield several benefits in terms of care delivery and patient experience. Once implemented, the project is likely to improve patient experience and satisfaction levels, resulting in better care outcomes. As highlighted by McGonigle and Mastrian (2022), enhancing patient experience and care provider satisfaction has a positive impact on healthcare organizations’ ability to meet patient needs. The adoption of the proposed project will enhance patient experience and increase satisfaction, ultimately leading to better care experiences. Additionally, the system will allow patients to schedule their appointments more effectively, enabling efficient time management and prompt service delivery. This, in turn, will contribute to a positive patient experience and improved outcomes. Furthermore, the system will help streamline care provider management. Leaders will be able to monitor high patient traffic times, allowing for the allocation of more staff to serve patients. The system will facilitate advance scheduling of care providers, resulting in a positive experience for patients.

Technologies Required in The Proposed Project

Several technologies will be critical to the successful implementation of the proposed project. These technologies include a patient flow management system database, a computer network, and patient or end-user interfaces such as a mobile app, website, or messaging platform. The website or app will provide patients with easy access to real-time queue information in their hospital, including estimated waiting times. Through the computer systems, the website will enable clinicians to monitor patient traffic and allocate sufficient care providers to meet demand. Multiple display screens will be used to indicate patient ticket numbers and their positions in the queue. The computer system and database will serve as the foundation for the project, enabling the queue management system’s functionality. Care providers will continually monitor data and virtual queues, allowing them to anticipate busy periods and reduce waiting times.

Project Team By Roles

The success of the project will depend on the collaborative efforts of the project team. The team will consist of various roles, including a project leader, nurse informaticists, IT experts, nurses, clinicians, and patients. Effective change management in healthcare, as emphasized by Sipes (2016), requires the change-implementing team to work together effectively towards a common goal. The project leader will oversee all aspects of the project, including setting goals, communication, updates to administrators, timeline development, and providing critical updates to stakeholders and team members. Nurse informaticists and IT experts will apply their IT knowledge and skills to develop the necessary system functionalities, ensuring that the system aligns with organizational and patient needs in terms of care delivery, cost savings, care safety, and efficiency. Nurses, other care providers, and patients will be end users of the system/project. They will actively use the system for scheduling patient visits, monitoring incoming traffic, and preparing for busy periods such as emergencies. These stakeholders will also provide feedback and evaluations to ensure that the project meets its established goals and objectives.

In summary, the proposed nursing informatics project aims to implement a patient queue management system to improve patient outcomes and care efficiency. It will impact various stakeholders, including patients, IT and nursing informatics experts, organizational leaders, administrators, nurses, and

other care providers. The project’s primary goal is to enhance the patient experience, increase satisfaction, optimize care provider management, and improve patient outcomes. Key technologies required for the project include a patient flow management system database, a computer network, and patient interfaces via a mobile app or website. The project team will comprise a project leader, nurse informaticists, IT experts, nurses, clinicians, and patients, working collaboratively to achieve the project’s objectives.

References

Bidari, A., Jafarnejad, S., & Alaei Faradonbeh, N. (2021). Effect of Queue management system on patient satisfaction in the emergency department: A randomized controlled trial. Archives of Academic Emergency Medicine, 9(1), E59. https://doi.org/10.22037/aaem.v9i1.1335

McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2022). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (5th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Mosier, S., Roberts, W. D., & Englebright, J. (2019). A systems-level method for developing nursing informatics solutions. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 49(11), 543-548. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000000815

Ng, Y. C., Alexander, S., & Frith, K. H. (2018). Integration of mobile health applications in health information technology initiatives: Expanding opportunities for nurse participation in population health. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 36(5), 209-213. https://doi.org/10.1097/CIN.0000000000000445

Sipes, C. (2016). Project management: Essential skill of nurse informaticists. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, 225, 252-256.