The Six-step Process for EHR Implementation in a hospital environment

The article For EHR Implementation, the Time to Act is Now by Frank Irving is a nice and short one on the benefits and difficulties of implementing an EHR system in a hospital environment in the US.  The time and financial commitments for the implementation were well demonstrated.  What grabbed my attention was the six steps to implement an EHR system.  These six steps are:

  1. Assessing Infrastructure – An initial assessment of a hospital’s existing infrastructure and data is needed to determine its quantity, quality and age.  Patient records must be up-to-date and consistent throughout the hospital prior to the transition to ensure a flawless switch.
  2. Defining future state – The future state of the hospital must be defined to answer the question: Which best practices need to be implemented for this particular hospital system? 
  3. Conducting gap analysis – A gap analysis will define what will need to be upgraded to interface each system into the future state.
  4. Developing strategic plan – After the gap analysis to define the necessary system updates, the development of an overarching strategy is needed to close the gap.
  5. Building a business case – This business case must include the cost of the implementation, time needed for completion, long-term payback and any other advantages or disadvantages to be realized through the implementation.
  6. Implementation! – The longest and most challenging step is the implementation, which will involve implementing both the technical specifications of the envisioned system as well as the business process to enable the desired shift.  This stage includes vendor analysis, hardware and software implementation, and building custom software for the institution.  All the appropriate business processes need to be in place in order to convert to a new EHR system.

Article: For EHR Implementation, the Time to Act is Now

The development of Willyang.ca

I always wanted to have my own website, even before I knew the internet existed.  I always thought it would be nice to have a central spot where ideas can be shared.  The year when I graduated from the University of Victoria, I started to get into website development.  My friend, Marc Huot, helped me setup willyang.ca, and that’s how this journey began.

The first version of Willyang.ca was very basic. It was made in built-in software that came with my MacBook Pro called iWeb. It satisfied my website owning dream for a couple of weeks.

Then the second version of Willyang.ca came along. I went for help from the Internet and looked up some PHP and CSS codes and had my second try of the website. It was fun and much more flexible than making a website from software. I was able to change the style of the site however I wanted. Though it was time consuming, it was rewarding at the same time.

And now, Willyang.ca has reached a new era. Through Marc, I learned WordPress and Joomla. After a bit of researching on the two products, I’ve decided on a template from WordPress. My friend, Kelvin Lau, helped me with the installation part of WordPress, and it has been very helpful so far. WordPress makes sharing information a lot easier. It really takes away the coding part of website development and allows me to focus on the content of the site over the style. If the last website was made for viewers to get information, this new site is for people to share information.

My wife, Anya, and I also have a website: Willandanya.ca. Please feel free to browse our pictures and updates. Thank you.

Health Informatics?

Whenever I tell people about the Masters of Health Informatics program at the University of Victoria, they always ask what Health Informatics is.  I guess to a certain extent, the term Health Informatics is still fairly new.  Here is a brief introduction of what Health Informatics really is.

Health Informtics is the intersection of information science, computer science, and health care.  It deals with the resources, devices, and methods required to optimize the acquisition, storage, retrieval, and use of information in health and biomedicine.  Health informatics tools include not only computers but also clinical guidelines, formal medical terminologies, and information and communication systems.  Sometimes,  Health Informatics is referred to as Medical Informatics.

Health Informaticians are expected to have knowledge in:

  • architectures of Electronic Health Records and other health information systems used for billing, scheduling, and research;
  • decision support systems in healthcare;
  • standards and integration profiles to facilitate the exchange of information between healthcare information systems;
  • controlled medical vocabularies;

If you want to know more about Health Informatics, Wikipedia has an in-depth explanation on its development, location, legal aspects, and management. 

Reference:

  1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_informatics

Difference between Aerobic and Anaerobic exercises

Aerobic exercises are those that help to reduce fat, these include walking, running, swimming, cycling, hiking, etc.  This type of exercise increases the heart rate and breathing becomes heavier.  After about 20 minutes of aerobic exercise, the body begins to use its stored fat as fuel, hence the phrase “burning fat”.  Regular aerobic exercise raises your body’s metabolism and enables your body to use more calories, even when you are at rest.

Anaerobic exercises help you to develop stronger muscles.  These exercises involve short bursts of force followed by periods of rest.  Anaerobic exercise does not burn fat like aerobic exercise, but helps to build muscle.  An increase in muscle mass complements aerobic exercise by enabling you to use more calories.

The benefits of exercising

I’m sure we all know exercising is good for us, but do we really know how good it is for us?  Let me break it down for ya.

  • Aids in the prevention of disease – Physical inactivity can lead to a number of degenerative diseases such as diabetes; regular exercise can help delay and even prevent the onset of chronic illnesses.
  • Helps treat injury – Exercise is used to treat physical limitations through exercise, stretching and conditioning.
  • Promotes restful sleep – Those who participate in regular exercise tend to be more relaxed and burdened with less stress.
  • Promotes optimal body composition – When participating in regular physical activity you use up more calories; therefore decreasing the likeliness of gaining unhealthy weight.
  • Optimal bone density – Resistance exercise helps to build and strengthen bones thus reducing  your risk of developing osteoporosis.
  • Strengthens circulation and lung function – Aerobic exercise helps to strengthen the heart and lungs and helps to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease.
  • Promotes self-confidence and decreases depression – Setting and achieving your goals help increase self image and can promote positive well-being.

That’s what I can think of so far.  I’m sure you know more than the above benefits.  I would love to hear your ideas.  Please post your ideas under this topic by leaving your comments.  Thank you 🙂