1
Healthcare Management Capstone – C439: Task 1
A. Prepare a report (suggested length of 8–12 pages) in which you do the following:
1. Identify one of the following healthcare management opportunities you encountered in
one of the previous performance assessments completed in this program:
• Applications in Technology Applications in Healthcare
2. Identify one of the following professional lenses:
• I will be taking on the lens of a Radiology Manager.
3. Summarize the opportunity selected in part A1 from the perspective of the professional
lens selected in part A2.
• The hospital is implementing a new electronic medical records system (EMR).
This new EMR is a big technologic advancement in the medical community. As
the radiology department manager, it is my job to help make the transition
seamless. The EMR will positively impact the continuity of care for our patients.
Particularly in the radiology department, the EMR will allow technologists to see
all patient orders. Seeing all orders will allow technologists to coordinate exams
and procedures in multiple modalities. Having access to all orders will allow techs
to see a patient's recent lab work, which is needed to perform any exam that
requires iodinated contrast. The EMR will also allow technologists to see prior
imaging on a patient for comparisons.
4. Provide a process overview by doing the following:
a. Describe the process as it is being performed today: Current radiology process
relies heavily on the patient. For outpatient orders we depend on the patient to
,2
know why their provider is ordering the exam and to bring the written order. If
there is any discrepancy with the order, the technologist must take the time to call
the ordering physician's office to clarify and confirm the order is correct prior to
the patient's exam. This makes for a large delay in patient care. On the inpatient
side if there are order discrepancies the technologist must take the time to flip
through the patients' paper chart to verify patient symptoms, diagnosis, and
physician orders. This also results in patient care delays. Once orders are
confirmed and the exam is complete, it is read by a radiologist and the report is
faxed or mailed to the ordering providers office. This process not only delays
patient care, but it provides opportunity for HIPPA violations if results are faxed
to the wrong number or mailed to the wrong address.
i. Describe the operational environment: The radiology department offers a
multitude of services to both outpatients and inpatients. The daily schedule
consists of outpatients with scheduled appointments, outpatient walk-ins,
inpatient orders, and emergency room patient orders. Daily volume can
vary greatly depending on the number of non-scheduled exams that are
added on each day. Seasonal volume also varies. We tend to see an
increase in volume as the weather starts getting cold. Snow and ice lead to
an increase in MVA’s and patient falls.
ii. Outline the sequence of events of the process: When a patient arrives at
the radiology department their first stop is radiology registration.
Registration will collect the patient's exam order, insurance card, and
personal information. If this is their first time at our facility, they will be
, 3
given a few forms to fill out and give back to registration prior to their
exam. From there registration will verify insurance and enter in the
appropriate exam from the patient's order. Once the exam is entered the
technologist will verify the order was placed correctly by registration. If it
was entered in error the tech will change to the correct order. If the tech is
unclear of what the order says, they will call and verify the order with the
ordering physician. All of this takes place prior to the patient’s exam. Once
everything is verified and correct the technologist gets the patient from the
registration area and takes them to the appropriate exam room. The tech
will verify they have the correct patient by asking them their name and
date of birth. If everything matches, the exam is performed. When the
exam is completed by the tech it is sent to a radiologist to read and write a
final report. Once the report is finalized it is faxed or mailed to the
ordering physician.
iii. Describe the constraints of the process: Time is the biggest constraint of
the current process. If a patient shows up for an exam and forgets their
order, registration must call the office to fax over an order before the
patient can be seen. Every time a technologist changes an incorrectly
entered order from registration or calls a physician's office to verify an
order it takes a significant amount of time. It also takes a significant
amount of time to get inpatient orders completed as well. After the
physician writes the order in the chart an order must be placed in the
computer prior to exam taking place. If those orders are entered
Healthcare Management Capstone – C439: Task 1
A. Prepare a report (suggested length of 8–12 pages) in which you do the following:
1. Identify one of the following healthcare management opportunities you encountered in
one of the previous performance assessments completed in this program:
• Applications in Technology Applications in Healthcare
2. Identify one of the following professional lenses:
• I will be taking on the lens of a Radiology Manager.
3. Summarize the opportunity selected in part A1 from the perspective of the professional
lens selected in part A2.
• The hospital is implementing a new electronic medical records system (EMR).
This new EMR is a big technologic advancement in the medical community. As
the radiology department manager, it is my job to help make the transition
seamless. The EMR will positively impact the continuity of care for our patients.
Particularly in the radiology department, the EMR will allow technologists to see
all patient orders. Seeing all orders will allow technologists to coordinate exams
and procedures in multiple modalities. Having access to all orders will allow techs
to see a patient's recent lab work, which is needed to perform any exam that
requires iodinated contrast. The EMR will also allow technologists to see prior
imaging on a patient for comparisons.
4. Provide a process overview by doing the following:
a. Describe the process as it is being performed today: Current radiology process
relies heavily on the patient. For outpatient orders we depend on the patient to
,2
know why their provider is ordering the exam and to bring the written order. If
there is any discrepancy with the order, the technologist must take the time to call
the ordering physician's office to clarify and confirm the order is correct prior to
the patient's exam. This makes for a large delay in patient care. On the inpatient
side if there are order discrepancies the technologist must take the time to flip
through the patients' paper chart to verify patient symptoms, diagnosis, and
physician orders. This also results in patient care delays. Once orders are
confirmed and the exam is complete, it is read by a radiologist and the report is
faxed or mailed to the ordering providers office. This process not only delays
patient care, but it provides opportunity for HIPPA violations if results are faxed
to the wrong number or mailed to the wrong address.
i. Describe the operational environment: The radiology department offers a
multitude of services to both outpatients and inpatients. The daily schedule
consists of outpatients with scheduled appointments, outpatient walk-ins,
inpatient orders, and emergency room patient orders. Daily volume can
vary greatly depending on the number of non-scheduled exams that are
added on each day. Seasonal volume also varies. We tend to see an
increase in volume as the weather starts getting cold. Snow and ice lead to
an increase in MVA’s and patient falls.
ii. Outline the sequence of events of the process: When a patient arrives at
the radiology department their first stop is radiology registration.
Registration will collect the patient's exam order, insurance card, and
personal information. If this is their first time at our facility, they will be
, 3
given a few forms to fill out and give back to registration prior to their
exam. From there registration will verify insurance and enter in the
appropriate exam from the patient's order. Once the exam is entered the
technologist will verify the order was placed correctly by registration. If it
was entered in error the tech will change to the correct order. If the tech is
unclear of what the order says, they will call and verify the order with the
ordering physician. All of this takes place prior to the patient’s exam. Once
everything is verified and correct the technologist gets the patient from the
registration area and takes them to the appropriate exam room. The tech
will verify they have the correct patient by asking them their name and
date of birth. If everything matches, the exam is performed. When the
exam is completed by the tech it is sent to a radiologist to read and write a
final report. Once the report is finalized it is faxed or mailed to the
ordering physician.
iii. Describe the constraints of the process: Time is the biggest constraint of
the current process. If a patient shows up for an exam and forgets their
order, registration must call the office to fax over an order before the
patient can be seen. Every time a technologist changes an incorrectly
entered order from registration or calls a physician's office to verify an
order it takes a significant amount of time. It also takes a significant
amount of time to get inpatient orders completed as well. After the
physician writes the order in the chart an order must be placed in the
computer prior to exam taking place. If those orders are entered
