Running head: TECHNOLOGY NEEDS ASSESSMENT 1
Technology Needs Assessment
Joslyn Dayrell
Capella University
MSN-FP6214
Technology Needs Assessment
February, 2021
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TECHNOLOGY NEEDS ASSESSMENT 2
Technology Needs Assessment- Executive Summary
As the demands in healthcare keep increasing, so is the need to seek for alternative ways
for enhancing healthcare delivery. More challenges have required a need to include enhanced and
modern treatment options. Some of these challenges include; a growing population, and an
increase in chronic and mental illnesses (Campise, 2014). Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic
has also been a factor that has affected convectional healthcare delivery and the use of
technology has become a significant solution to these healthcare problems (Farringer, 2020).
Towards this end, telemedicine has come out strongly as a favorable tool that is able to enhance
healthcare delivery and ensure that healthcare is delivered effectively (Wootton, 2019). As an
organization, we have set up telehealth as one of the futuristic elements that was to drive
healthcare forward, however, it is clear that there is a need to assess this tool and upgrade it even
to ensure that it is able to provide more in terms of quality and patient outcomes. This technology
needs assessment will be critical in enhancing the whole process, and has identified the
effectiveness of using My Chart and what can and should be done to improve this.
Relevance and Importance of a Needs Assessment
The technology needs assessment is a critical process and systematic review that looks
towards understanding the technological needs of the organization, identifying what can be
included to enhance its effectiveness and utility, as well as looking at what can be included to
enhance its future use. Technology is not a static element but goes through constant evolution
and upgrading. What worked a few years ago might not be as effective when applied in the
future. As such, it is important and critical to conduct a needs assessment ever so often to look at
what can be done to enhance the technology as well as ensure that one is getting the most out of
a technology system (Bokolo Anthony Jnr., 2020).
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TECHNOLOGY NEEDS ASSESSMENT 3
Additionally, it can also identify whether indeed the technology is at all necessary in
improving the provision of healthcare, or whether it is a burden in itself. There are instances
where improvements in healthcare have led to more problems than solutions because they were
either implemented wrongly, or there was no due research that was done to determine the
necessity of having these elements included in the healthcare process. The needs assessment is
able to capture such factors and ensure that only the most critical and necessary tools and
systems are utilized for the healthcare process to enhance delivery rather than negatively
impacting the same. It also allows for stakeholders to be aware of how their investment is
performing and seek to understand whether investing in the particular area will assist in the
growth of healthcare delivery, as well as understand the improvements that need to be included.
For this technology needs assessment, it was identified that there was need to enhance and
upgrade My Chart within Telehealth because it had particular misgivings that were affecting the
effective utilization of telehealth in our organization (Winstanley et al., 2017; Campise, 2014).
Key Issues in Nursing Care Affecting Patient Outcomes that will be addressed by
Upgrading Telehealth Technology
Telehealth has been reinforced as a critical tool for effectively providing healthcare and
providing solutions for the future. My Chart has been highlighted as a key concern that requires
immediate upgrading of the telehealth systems to enhance the utilization of telehealth within the
organization. A critical element that was identified in the needs assessment was that it was
affecting nursing care significantly. MyChart is an application that works within telehealth to
offer personalized and secure patient access to a select portion of their health and medical
records. It allows for the patients to safely and securely utilize the internet to manage their
conditions and receive important information regarding their health. The needs assessment
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TECHNOLOGY NEEDS ASSESSMENT 4
identified that the organization was not utilizing MyChart effectively and this was affecting
nursing care significantly especially where patients spent a lot of time trying to get information
about their health and how they can be able to access the same safely (Campise, 2014; Farringer,
2020; Winstanley et al., 2017).
The needs assessment identified that it is critical for us to upgrade our telehealth systems
and ensure that they are able to allow for the optimization of MyChart towards enhancing control
and security of patient information. Currently, the hospital’s telehealth system is not able to
effectively use MyChart, and this has been reported by the IT team, as well as other healthcare
providers including nurses who understand the significance of having MyChart. Also, patients
have been constantly enquiring about how they can be able to engage in the system which is
rather embarrassing, hence the need to upgrade our systems immediately (Winstanley et al.,
2017; Wootton, 2019).
Safety Requirements and Regulatory Considerations when using the Technology
With regard to the telehealth upgrade and the access to MyChart as envisioned in the
needs assessment, the safety requirements and regulatory considerations are some of the most
critical elements that have been considered in the whole process. Currently, our older
telemedicine model has a lot of the safety requirements run by our IT departments which affects
the sharing of patient information because this requires other tools to be used. There are no
significant regulatory requirements which is a significant element that fails the security of
information and can lead to unwarranted security breaches in the future. With the inclusion of
MyChart, it will become much easier for the hospital health safety and regulatory requirements
as it will involve partnering with EPIC to enhance the utilization of these systems within the
healthcare technology parameters (Winstanley et al., 2017).
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TECHNOLOGY NEEDS ASSESSMENT 5
EPIC will have the regulatory authority that will assist in enhancing its usability across
the various platforms that MyChart is expected to expand to. The significance of MyChart is that
it is a free app that is available for Apple and Android devices allowing for ease of use and
enhancing our telemedicine system will allow partnering with EPIC to provide the much needed
regulations that will enhance the usability of the system for patient enhancing safety and security
(Winstanley et al., 2017; Wootton, 2019).
Patient Confidentiality and Privacy Protections that Technology must address
This is one of the main factors that has led towards the requirement of MyChart as a
critical inclusion when upgrading the current telemedicine functions. Privacy and confidentiality
are the greatest threats to using telemedicine because there are people (hackers) who are always
on the prowl looking for loopholes that they can use to access patient information and use the
same for their own benefits. Indeed, it is one of the biggest threats of taking healthcare online
(Bokolo Anthony Jr., 2020). It is critical to ensure that the MyChart that will be introduced for
our organization is HIPAA compliant, and that it has many safety features that are able to
enhance security of patient information and ensure that patient information is always safe
(Winstanley et al., 2017).
As an organization, there have been several security breaches that we have been able to
contain with hackers targeting patient information. Inclusion of MyChart will require increased
vigilance, and it will be important to also ensure that patients are also aware of this aspect
because proper security must be enhanced from the hospital side as well as on the patient side.
Use of passwords and security authentications must always be made available to ensure that the
patient protects their health information because as has been identified, a critical element of
MyChart is sharing of patient information. Continuous evaluation and constant upgrading of
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TECHNOLOGY NEEDS ASSESSMENT 6
security systems can enhance this aspect, and a lot of investment will be necessary to this end
(Campise, 2014; Farringer, 2020).
The potential impact of internal and external stakeholders and end users on the acquisition
of this technology.
The impact of the acquisition of the technology to internal and external stakeholders, as
well as the end users is that it will enhance our competitive advantage over other healthcare
facilities in the region. Whereas providing quality healthcare that guarantees positive patient
outcomes is vital for enhancing the healthcare process, it is also wise to consider other elements
that can help patients choose our organization over others, and this is one of the ways of having a
competitive advantage. It will mean that there will be a good return on investment from the
investment (Bokolo Anthony Jr., 2020).
It will also enhance our provision of care through the telemedicine platform that has
grown exponentially especially in the last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, it
was from this that the needs assessment was necessary. It will also enhance efficiency in
healthcare delivery as far as telemedicine is concerned, and it will provide the patients with a
better way of accessing their patient records and information, which is a critical element of the
healthcare process (Wootton, 2019).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the needs assessment identified the need to empower the telemedicine by
upgrading it and including provision for MyChart App to be able to be utilized. The key issues
that will enhance nursing care towards positively impacting patient outcomes have been
highlighted including safety, regulatory, confidentiality, and privacy issues that are to be
considered when implementing the new technologies. Lastly, an assessment on the impact on
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TECHNOLOGY NEEDS ASSESSMENT 7
stakeholders and end users has also been summarized. It is hoped that the needs assessment
presented is going to position our institution for future growth.
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TECHNOLOGY NEEDS ASSESSMENT 8
References
Bokolo Anthony Jnr. (2020). Use of telemedicine and virtual care for remote treatment in
response to COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Medical Systems, 44(7).
doi:10.1007/s10916-020-01596-5
Campise, R. L. (2014). The future of Telehealth, social media, and behavioral
health. PsycEXTRA Dataset. doi:10.1037/e550552014-001
Farringer, D. (2020). A Telehealth explosion: Using lessons from the pandemic to shape the
future of Telehealth regulation. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.3681070
Winstanley, E. L., Burtchin, M., Zhang, Y., Campbell, P., Pahl, J., Beck, S., & Bohenek, W.
(2017). Inpatient experiences with MyChart bedside. Telemedicine and e-Health, 23(8),
691-693. doi:10.1089/tmj.2016.0132
Wootton, R. (2019). The future use of Telehealth in the developing world. Telehealth in the
Developing World, 299-308. doi:10.1201/9781315272917-29
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