A Stimulus for Health Information Technology in Health Care Organizations

The HITECH provision of ARRA will facilitate the use of new health information technology in a range of health care organizations, from hospitals to physicians' practices. To encourage a timely transition, HITECH includes incentives for providers and organizations based on how quickly and how well they incorporate certain kinds of technology in their practices.

Prepare for this Application Assignment as follows:

• In light of this week's Learning Resources, what do you think are major challenges facing health care organizations as they seek to interpret and implement ARRA/HITECH?

• Select a particular health care setting, such as a physician's practice, academic hospital, or outpatient clinic, and consider the management implications of ARRA/HITECH in your selected setting. Do further research in the Walden Library and elsewhere online to understand the issues facing this type of organization as they expand their use of health information technology. (You will be examining the technological issues in some detail later in the course; for this Application Assignment, focus on the breadth of management challenges that ARRA/HITECH raises.)

•What solutions have been found? How might you, as a manager in this particular setting, contribute to the process? What tools and knowledge would you need to be effective?

Then write a 2-page paper that addresses the following:

• Summarize the purpose of ARRA/HITECH and the key benefits it offers your selected health care setting.

• What kinds of management challenges does ARRA/HITECH pose to this kind of organization? How are these being addressed?

• What additional solutions might you propose, and why?