IAIMS ADMINISTRATIVE FOCUS AREA GROUP
FINAL REPORT
Process
Findings/Conclusions and Recommendations
PROCESS
Meetings
The Administrative Focus Area Group met and was charged at the November
17, 1997 IAIMS Orientation session led by Ann Olsen of Vanderbilt University
IAIMS Program. The charge to the group was to: 1) assess information needs
with focus on administration, and 2) develop recommendations for policy
and planning activities that will improve access to information for patient
care; education, research, and administration. Subsequent meetings were
held on January 16, February 20, and March 20, 1998.
Team Members
Laura Roth, HSC Information Systems Operations (Team Leader)
Sahar Alshallah, School of Medicine
Lucinda Burton, School of Medicine
Terry Burton, HSC Library
Dan Durbin, HSC Budget and Financial Operations
Jerry Fisher, School of Pharmacy
Donna Haid, School of Dentistry
Lynne Ostrow, School of Nursing
Becky Rodd, WVUH/UHA
Information Collected
The group reviewed the results of the Ann Olsen November 17 and 18 sessions.
Group consensus was that the dinner and wrap up sessions outlined the five-year
assessment of our information needs. Team members distributed the results
of the November 17 and 18 sessions to others outside the focus area team
for input. The group analyzed the information collected and grouped similar
information into categories. Recommendations were based on our findings.
FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Centralization of Resources
Decentralization of this important technology is not the answer. We
are already a victim of incompatibility, wrong technology, lack of uniformity
and simplicity, and misdirected, inefficient, ineffective resource management.
If we need to have complex technology, lets put together a team of the
right people to install, maintain, train users, etc., rather than fragmenting
the system into the hands of different groups, i.e. the Schools, etc.,
to manage. Too many times, parallel efforts consume ever harder-to-come-by
resources.
Recommendation
-
Centralized IT responsibilities. Clearly designate the entity which will
have responsibility for IT resource management within the enterprise and
communicate that designation throughout the HSC and WVU. An IT resource
management plan should be developed detailing basic HSC hardware, software,
and human resource needs for presentation to HSC administration. Sufficient
resources should be allocated to properly staff and support the IT entity.
-
Provide centralized server support to faculty, staff, and students. This
will provide file sharing, printer sharing, application sharing services
in a single sign-on environment within the HSC. Servers should be available
to all HSC departments and use of them should be mandatory for standard
shared resources (mail, software on site licenses, etc.). Departmental
servers operating vendor specific, unique situations would be permissible
with clearance from central IT.
-
Provide centralized system support. Provide a team of System Analyst/Programmers
to analyze, design, develop, and implement systems HSC-wide and at the
department-level. The team would work with representatives from all entities
to address business system needs (HR, Financial, etc.), clinical information
system needs, and departmental projects (i.e. administrative support, faculty
support, office automation support, etc.) as determined. The team will
work with the field experts so that systems can be planned and implemented
to meet the needs of all entities.
-
Service level agreements. Service level agreements should be established
between departments and IT, delineating the types and degree of support
IT and the department will each provide for computing resources. On special
projects, agreements should be made regarding support, including written
plans and an outline of budget requirements.
-
IT involvement in planning. Insist on departmental communication with IT
in the early planning stages of projects that may require computer/network
support. A concerted effort should be made to avoid rogue projects which
require support, but without proper planning.
-
Effective electronic license purchasing. Establish a procedure for purchasing
of electronic resources that use HSC funds. The procedure should include
review of proposed resources, approval for purchases, determination of
fund sources, and negotiation of licenses.
-
Centralized Help Desk support should be accessible via one phone number
for Clinical or Academic system support. All users would call one help
desk number and would be greeted by a short phone script menu to route
the call to the appropriate help desk / resource (Clinical or Academic).
Managers of the Clinical and Academic help desks should meet regularly
to ensure the needs of our clients are being properly addressed. Continued
training / information should be provided to the Computer Support Contacts
(CSC) on a regular basis. This will provide a communication line between
the departments and the IT groups. The help desks should be well funded,
well staffed, and well trained.
-
Single terminal access. Create a centralized information system that will
combine clinical, research, financial and administrative information together
on one terminal. The system should combine WVUH, UHA, School of Medicine,
School of Dentistry, School of Pharmacy, and School of Nursing information
with university-wide information. A real-time active budget preparation
and position management system for all entities (WVU, UHA, and WVUH) will
have to be an element. Required for this would be: 1) Assess departmental
and organizational needs; 2) Design a model system that will satisfy those
needs; and 3) Find or build an information system that will fit the design.
Security Issues
The HSC/WVUH Network Integration group is seeking the assistance of
a security consultant to help develop policies for patient information
access, network use, patient confidentiality, Internet security, and physical
security. These policies need to be documented, presented, and readily
available to employees.
Recommendation
-
Develop and implement a HSC wide network / system security policy with
the assistance of aforementioned security specialist. These policies will
address patient information access, network use, patient confidentiality,
Internet security, physical security, and user guidelines and responsibilities.
Standardization
Across WVU, WVUH, UHA, and rural sites, we have several hardware and software
solutions. We are incompatible and have experienced difficulty in communicating
effectively and managing our resources.
Recommendation
-
Standardize on hardware and software vendors and platforms (e-mail, calendaring,
scheduling, work flow, productivity software, PC vendor). Identify the
"floor" of the minimum technology that will be supported. Standard should
be consistent throughout WVU, the HSC, WVUH, and rural sites.
-
HSC/WVUH Network Integration Group. The HSC/WVUH Network Integration Group
should continue to meet to plan and implement network integration solutions
across the enterprises. The group will work to provide seamless network
integration so that patient information and business systems data can flow
between networks transparently, but with a high level of security for confidential
information. Issues of patient information access, network use, patient
confidentiality, Internet security, and physical security will need to
be explored and resolved. Certain discussions will need to include WVU’s
IT departments.
-
Single sign-on and authorization. Develop a unified system for requesting
and using WVU, HSC, and WVUH system accounts. Users should be able to have
one secure sign-on provide access to all approved accounts across the enterprises,
regardless of provider.
-
Oracle compatibility. Due to WVU’s relationship with Oracle, major system
choices will be exceptionally Oracle compatible.
-
Unified web presence. Create a unified web presence for the HSC and its
components, so that pages have a consistent and professional appearance
and navigational consistency. WVU and HSC policies should be developed
to enforce consistency, etc., where needed.
-
Patient record reference architecture. Develop a reference architecture
for patient records that is independent of facility-based transaction processing
systems.
Process Re-design
There is a need to review and overhaul administrative procedures so that
more efficient and effective systems can be implemented to support the
administrative needs of the Health Sciences Center.
Recommendation
-
A better system for tracking hardware and software should be implemented
(who has what workstation, what software).
-
Convert all HSC, WVU, and WV forms (travel, financial, reporting) to electronic
format and implement electronic signatures capabilities. Stop requiring
people to do it the hard copy way. Seek out and destroy: places where electronic
requests are then typed(!) onto forms, disincentives to personnel development
(need flexibility to develop and learn), silos.
-
Distributed computing. Encourage distributed computing capability – avoid
silos. Where possible, WVU and the HSC should try to minimize policies
and processes that limit access to resources by location or department,
or require duplication of data entry (paper as well as electronic).
-
Develop a system which makes the best and highest use of computing equipment
for the longest possible period. This would create a "hand-me-down" system
where machines that are "technologically outdated" in one department are
transferred to another department that can utilize them (and doesn't require
as advanced technology as the donor department).
-
Stop unneeded or excessive hardware upgrades (example: buying dual processor
workstation when single processor workstation will suffice).
-
Develop and implement an "Exit Employment Policy". This will provide a
means for ensuring user accounts are deactivated, keys are turned in, etc.
when an employee leaves our organization.
-
HR policies which encourage: hiring of the most qualified candidates, retention
and promotion of information technology staff throughout the organization,
including bonus pay, joint hiring between departments and computer services.
-
Financial support or loans to departments to encourage development of technological
advances - spread big expenditure out over time.
Outreach Support
Teachers need to be able to communicate with students at remote clinical
or experiential sites, while these same students will require access to
library, research, and other information resources. Services such as Drug
Information and Poison Control Information can be accessed rapidly and
enhanced by video/voice interface. Video, voice, and data over one high
speed media lowers cost (eliminates parallel networks and efforts).
Recommendation
-
Provide and support high-speed data communications, affordable video conferencing,
and distance education between the HSC and Charleston-Division Health Sciences
Center and other remote health care facilities that our students and clinician
visit.
Facilities / Technical Support
With the implementation of the student notebook program and the integration
of "technology-based" curriculum, classrooms need to be renovated to support
these initiatives.
Recommendation
-
A classroom advisory committee consisting of faculty, IT representation,
and consultants should be established to thoroughly address the multi-media
and network needs of our classrooms.
Training and Support
Basic computer training should be included as part of new employee orientation.
This will permit users to learn about network policies and procedures,
training opportunities and support structure.
Recommendation
-
Develop web based tutorials for system training and education (for when
classes are not timely enough or not possible).
-
Develop and provide an IT information resource guide to all new HSC employees
so that new employees know who to contact regarding information technology,
the stated network usage policies and procedures, and adherence agreements.
This information could be included in the Benefits package briefing that
all HSC employees receive upon employment.
-
All HSC users should be required to attend a basic fundamental network
usage course before account activation. This course would provide instruction
on how to log-on to the network, what resources are available, such as
electronic classroom capabilities, shared resources, such as, color copier
availability, e-mail capabilities, services availability, groupware capabilities,
training opportunities (data/voice), security training (patient confidentiality
issues), etc.
-
Resources/training need to be made available to faculty in support of "technology-based"
curriculum.
-
A faculty support group is needed to provide faculty assistance in using
multi-media and networking technologies in the classrooms/conference centers
(i.e. A/V technician with basic networking skills to assist in multi-media
classroom setup and troubleshooting).
-
Benchmark the part of the Information Technology budget that should be
devoted to training.
IAIMS Policy
Policy regarding the IAIMS should be at University or at least HSC level
(although other education, information, health care institutions, etc.
will most probably be linked together with us). The key will be to keep
IAIMS accessible, upgradable, flexible, and as simple as possible for all
users from the lowest freshman to the president - and several different
stand-alone systems won't do that.
|
|
|
