Section 1.7 Assess

IT Staffing InventoryUse the IT staffing inventory to determine which information technology (IT) staffing skills may be needed to implement specific Health Information Technology (HIT) components.

Time needed: 8 – 16 hoursSuggested other tools: NA

IntroductionFor many local public health (LPH) departments, IT staffing will likely have to be taken on by existing personnel wearing an “IT hat,” with the remainder outsourced. Reviewing the inventory of skills will give you an appreciation for the nature of support EHRs and HIE require to perform well. (Note: some state departments of health have been very active in planning to upgrade LPH departments’ staffing needs. See http://www.health.state.mn.us/e-health/factsheetlph2012.pdf.)

How to Use 1. Review the list of IT skills. It may seem daunting at first, but many of the skills can be performed with existing staff members who

may just need some time to think or get up to speed by browsing the Internet. This will save you money and engage the staff in the process, which helps manage change.

2. Document your needs on different IT Skills forms if you are planning multiple HIT projects. For example, if you decide to acquire an EHR now and consider HIE later, focus only on your EHR needs first.

3. Check off the Skills needed for the project under consideration. Where choices exist, be specific. For example, you may not need anyone with programming skills, but if you do, specifics are important. If you have not selected a product yet, you may need to put “?” in some columns for now.

4. Identify the Current IT Staff, Professionals, Other Staff, and Existing Third Party contractors, by name, who have the skills needed. For example, for implementing clinical messaging, in addition to “Joe” who set up his own wireless network at home, Therapist Theresa and Administrator Alice should be involved in some of the workflow and implementation functions.

5. Identify in the Plan for Acquiring Skills how you will go about getting the skills—send existing staff to training, use a third party temporarily or permanently, hire, etc.

Section 1 Assess—IT Staffing Inventory - 1

HIT Project: (describe) Completed by: (names) Date inventory completed: (date)

IT SkillsSkills

NeededCurrentIT Staff (Names)

CurrentProfessional

s (Names)

Other Current

Staff (Names)

Existing Third PartyContractors

Plan for Acquiring Skills

Strategy and Planning1. Maintain strategic IT plan consistent with

financial/operational/clinical needs (see 2.3 Visioning, Goal Setting and Strategic Planning for EHR and HIE)

2. Keep abreast of technical, application, and industry progress and events

3. Keep abreast of clinician needs to be sure current IT program is responsive

4. Maintain good relations with vendors5. Develop and monitor IT budget: capital and

operations (see 2.12 Total Cost of Ownership and Return on Investment for EHR and HIE)

6. Participate in requirements analysis, vendor analysis, selection, and contracting

7. Assist in review of HIO participation and other agreements

8. Assist in recommending chart conversion and pre-load strategies

9. Assist in identifying rollout and turnover strategies for each application

Implementation1. Plan implementation details2. Manage implementation plan, including all issues

to their resolution (see Section 4.4 Issues Management)

3. Assist in mapping current processes and identifying opportunities for improvement (see 2.7 Workflow and Process Redesign for EHR and HIE)

4. Help users adopt data standards and data management processes.

5. Document EHR and HIE policies and procedures.6. Identify and plan for generating all forms and

reports7. Perform system build to configure system for

Section 1 Assess—IT Staffing Inventory - 2

IT SkillsSkills

NeededCurrentIT Staff (Names)

CurrentProfessional

s (Names)

Other Current

Staff (Names)

Existing Third PartyContractors

Plan for Acquiring Skills

organizational needs (see 4.1 Implementing Systems Overview)

8. Develop or manage development of any required interfaces

9. Maintain change control log as changes are made during system build or ongoing use (see 4.8 Change Control)

10. Load master files and tables; conduct any file and data conversions

11. Set up technology chosen for HIE12. Institute plan for obtaining person consent for HIE13. Conduct HIT system testing14. Assist in training users15. Support go-live preparation and actualization16. Assist in developing client communicationsOperations1. Perform ongoing system utilization monitoring; use

in overall capacity planning (see 5.1 Ongoing System Maintenance, Administration and Data Quality Management)

2. Perform data quality management3. Perform system backup; monitor fail-over server

as applicable4. Perform daily/weekly/monthly/year end processing

as required5. Assure good response time and little/no system

downtime6. Assure network performance at optimal levels7. Order and maintain adequate stock of supplies

(spare equipment, batteries, cables, storage media etc.)

8. Install vendor-provided updates, releases, patches; maintain version control

9. Monitor HIE partner communications to identify issues and plan for their resolution

10. Support optimal use of EHR and HIE applications

Section 1 Assess—IT Staffing Inventory - 3

IT SkillsSkills

NeededCurrentIT Staff (Names)

CurrentProfessional

s (Names)

Other Current

Staff (Names)

Existing Third PartyContractors

Plan for Acquiring Skills

by reviewing satisfaction surveys, return on investment analyses, and benefits realization to recommend appropriate strategies for adoption and full utilization

Help Desk Functions1. Respond to routine questions and problems

regarding software; appropriately escalate to vendor

2. Knowledge of operating systems as applicable: (e.g., Windows, Oracle, SQL, Unix, Linux)

3. Respond to routine questions and problems regarding hardware; appropriately escalate to vendor

4. Respond to routine questions and problems regarding network and telecommunications; appropriately escalate to vendor

5. Provide refresher training on applications to staff as needed; train new and temporary staff on applications

6. Reset passwords or other authentication mechanisms as applicable

Security (see 6.9 EHR and HIE Security Risk Analysis)1. Conduct and maintain a current security risk

analysis to determine appropriate levels of security measures for environment; perform periodic security evaluation

2. Maintain access control lists and establish access and authentication mechanisms (assign unique user ID and password, digital signature or other authentication methods) as authorized and consistent with access control policy

3. Maintain audit controls; review logs to identify potential confidentiality issues

4. Develop and implement sound security procedures vis-à-vis organizational policy, HIPAA, Breach Notification, E-Discovery, Red Flags Rules (if applicable) and state and other regulatory

Section 1 Assess—IT Staffing Inventory - 4

IT SkillsSkills

NeededCurrentIT Staff (Names)

CurrentProfessional

s (Names)

Other Current

Staff (Names)

Existing Third PartyContractors

Plan for Acquiring Skills

requirements5. Provide periodic training and reminders about

security6. Maintain disaster recovery and business continuity

plans. Periodically perform tests/drills7. Protect information assets from external threats

(e.g., malware protection, intrusion detection/prevention, firewalls, encryption)

8. Respond to security incidents, and maintain security incident reports; appropriately escalate to practice management and/or authorities

9. Manage device and media security, destruction and disposal

Applications1. Ensure applications are kept current (e.g., clinical

practice guidelines, clinical decision support rules, data sets, codes, vocabulary, drug knowledge)

2. Utilize vendor-supplied toolset to customize screens and templates as necessary (e.g., PowerBuilder, MS Visual Studio, Visual Basic, C++, Java, M, Delphi)

3. Maintain intranet and internal Web site4. Maintain Web portals, personal health record, and

other Internet-based applications5. Maintain interfaces as applications using HL7 and

other standard protocols are upgraded2. Support good data stewardship within an HIO by

maintaining the accuracy of staff information and person identification and consent

7. Produce reports using various report writersDatabases1. Develop and carry out plan to manage data

storage2. Maintain data models and data dictionaries3. Maintain master person index4. Audit data entry quality

Section 1 Assess—IT Staffing Inventory - 5

IT SkillsSkills

NeededCurrentIT Staff (Names)

CurrentProfessional

s (Names)

Other Current

Staff (Names)

Existing Third PartyContractors

Plan for Acquiring Skills

5. Optimize database performanceNetwork1. Manage network servers2. Install and maintain wireless access points and

other devices as applicable for wireless access3. Install and maintain routers, hubs, and other

network devices and Netware, as applicable for local area network

4. Manage VoIP as applicableHardware1. Install, inventory, and maintain workstations,

printers, scanners, cameras/video equipment, and other peripherals

2. Install and maintain servers: main, fail-over, back up, email, Fax, others

3. Manage storage devices; storage area network4. Install and maintain Citrix, VM Ware as needed5. Construct and maintain data center in keeping with

user system availability and disaster recovery requirements

6. Develop hardware replacement/upgrade scheduleCopyright © 2014, Margret\A Consulting, LLC. Used with permission of author.

Copyright © 2014 Stratis Health. Updated 01-01-14

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