Implementation of a computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system needs

QUESTION

You are managing the development of a computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system in a hospital that caters to the suburban population of a major city. A much larger hospital that accommodates most of the city’s downtown residents has recently been severely damaged in a storm. As a result, the inner-city hospital is operating at a low level of capacity and diverts much of its patient flow to other hospitals. In order to help alleviate the strain caused by this new influx of patients, your hospital’s executives are requiring you to implement the CPOE system 2 weeks early. Your project team is currently composed of just enough individuals to complete the project on time using the original timeline. The planned CPOE system has many non-essential features that usually take two phases to implement. However, these features are currently planned to be incorporated during your single-phase CPOE implementation. How do you adjust the project’s scope and cost to meet the new schedule demands?

NURS PROJECT CONTROL; Post a description of where and how you would apply principles of monitoring and controlling to adjust the plan for the scenario in terms of cost, scope, and time (i.e., the triple constraint). Explain how you would communicate modifications to key stakeholders. Provide rationale for your response.

ANSWER

In the given scenario, the implementation of a computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system needs to be expedited due to the increased patient flow caused by the damaged inner-city hospital. As a project manager, it is crucial to apply principles of monitoring and controlling to adjust the plan for the scenario in terms of cost, scope, and time, while effectively communicating modifications to key stakeholders.

Cost Control

To meet the new schedule demands, it is important to assess the budget and identify potential areas for cost reduction. This may involve prioritizing essential features and functionalities of the CPOE system, while temporarily deferring non-essential features that can be incorporated in later phases. By focusing on core functionalities, resources can be allocated more efficiently, reducing the overall project cost. Additionally, the project team can explore cost-saving alternatives, such as utilizing existing infrastructure or leveraging cloud-based solutions instead of investing in expensive hardware.

Scope Management

With the compressed timeline, it is necessary to adjust the project scope to ensure timely delivery. This involves reevaluating the planned non-essential features and deciding which ones can be temporarily excluded from the initial implementation. By narrowing the scope to the most critical functionalities, the project team can streamline the development process and meet the accelerated timeline. It is crucial to engage stakeholders, including end-users and executives, to prioritize features based on their immediate impact on patient care and safety.

Time Management

To meet the new schedule demands, the project team needs to streamline the development process and expedite project milestones. This may involve revising the , compressing timelines for specific activities, and ensuring efficient coordination among team members. Agile project management methodologies, such as scrum, can be employed to break down work into smaller, manageable tasks and promote iterative development and testing. Efficient time management and task prioritization will be critical to meet the accelerated implementation deadline.

Communication with key stakeholders is vital to ensure transparency and manage expectations. Regular project status updates should be provided, highlighting the adjusted project scope, timeline, and potential impacts. The rationale behind modifications should be clearly communicated, emphasizing the need to address the increased patient flow and the importance of timely implementation. Stakeholders should be engaged in the decision-making process and provided with opportunities to provide input and feedback. Open and frequent communication channels, such as project status meetings, emails, and progress reports, should be established to address any concerns or questions.

In conclusion, to adjust the plan for the expedited implementation of the CPOE system, principles of monitoring and controlling should be applied to manage cost, scope, and time. By focusing on essential functionalities, compressing timelines, and effectively communicating modifications to key stakeholders, the project team can ensure a successful and timely implementation, alleviating the strain caused by the increased patient flow.