Information System Briefing

Information System Briefing
When selecting an information system for a health care organization, there are processes that must take place. One of the processes is selecting and acquiring an information system, one that will be a success for this particular health care organization. In order for the health care organization to have success, the information system must be chosen very carefully.
Once a health care organization has finalized its contract with the vendor to acquire
an information system, the system implementation process begins. Selecting the right
system does not ensure user acceptance and success; the system must also be incorporated
effectively into the day-to-day operations of the health care organization and
adequately supported or maintained. Whether the system is built in-house, designed by
an outside consultant, leased from an application service provider (ASP), or purchased
from a vendor, it will take a substantial amount of planning and work to get the system
up and running smoothly and integrated into operations.
Implementing a new system (or replacing an old system) can be a massive undertaking
for a health care organization. Not only are there workstations to install, databases
to build, and networks to test but there are also processes to redesign, users to train,
data to convert, and procedures to write. There are countless tasks and details that must
be appropriately coordinated and completed if the system is to be implemented on time
and within budget—and widely accepted by users. While attending to these tasks, there are other issues that must be attended to. Organizational and behavioral issues will have to be addressed also. (Wagner et al, 2009).
Each application has a targeted audience. The functionality and cost increases exponentially as capabilities increase to meet a broader need. However, most can be purchased on a modular basis, allowing an organization to purchase the types of functionality required to meet...