Question 1

With the increased use of HIT in health care settings, nurses are asked to participate in the development of national, state, and local policy. How can nurses gain practical experience in policy shaping and development?

Accepted Answer

Internships provide opportunities for nurses to gain practical experience in policy shaping and development by allowing them to work with policy-makers and understand the process of policy development. This also allows nurses to observe how policies are implemented and evaluated, as well as providing opportunities to network and build relationships with professionals in the field. Continuing education programs and online legal courses may provide theoretical knowledge, but may not provide the hands-on experience that internships can offer. Volunteering in a homeless shelter may provide valuable experience in public health and community health settings, but may not directly relate to policy shaping and development.

Question 2

The Health Information Technology (HIT) Committee was created under the auspices of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). The committee is composed of several workgroups designated by the National Coordinator for Health IT. Which of the following are individual working groups are associated with the HIT Committee?

Accepted Answer

A,B,C,D,E

Question 3

What do the TIGER initiative and nursing have in common?

Accepted Answer

One of the top goals of the TIGER Initiative is to have more nurses play an active role in the development of a national health care information technology infrastructure. This goal aligns with the nursing profession's increasing involvement in healthcare technology and informatics, making A the correct choice. B, C, and D do not accurately reflect the connection between TIGER and nursing.

Question 4

The future of HIT in the health care system is reliant on a number of individuals dedicated to the creation and success of the initiative. Which of the following are some of the key figures in the positive launch of a system?

Accepted Answer

Nurse informaticians, information technologists, physicians, vice presidents, and staff nurses all play crucial roles in the successful implementation and operation of Health Information Technology (HIT) systems. Each brings unique expertise and perspectives that contribute to the system's effectiveness and integration into healthcare practices.

Question 5

Widespread adoption of HIT (Health Information Technology) requires _______________ and policies that make quality improvement and cost reduction essential to providers in order to accomplish their financial and professional goals.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Widespread adoption of HIT (Health Information Technology)...

Question 6

TIGER Leadership Collaborative Report has called for transformation of the health care delivery system through the development of a national health information infrastructure that requires nurse leaders "understand, promote, own, and measure the success of health IT." To do so, which of the following strategies cannot be incorporated?

Accepted Answer

The strategies mentioned in options A, B, and D are all viable and effective ways to promote the development of a national health information infrastructure. However, the option C of exchanging best practice models with physician groups is unlikely to be effective in achieving this goal, as physician groups may have different priorities, perspectives and practices. Instead, it would be more productive to collaborate with other nursing leaders, IT professionals, and healthcare stakeholders to promote HIT adoption and ensure its effective use in nursing practice.

Question 7

The need for health care reform has been obvious for some time but the implications of the broken U.S. health care delivery system were largely brought to the attention of the public through which famous report?

Accepted Answer

"To Err is Human: Building A Safer Health System" is a famous report published by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 1999, which highlighted the high rates of medical errors in the U.S. health care system and called for significant reforms to improve patient safety and quality of care. This report helped to increase public awareness of the problems with the health care delivery system and put pressure on policymakers to take action towards reform.

Question 8

Which of the following serve as a guide in the development of the policies and technologies used to support quality reporting and other uses of health data?

Accepted Answer

Values serve as guiding principles in the development of policies and technologies used to support quality reporting and other uses of health data. These values include confidentiality, privacy, and security of health information, as well as accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of data. Budget, regulations, and issues may also influence the development of such policies and technologies, but they are not specifically guiding principles.

Question 9

Nurse executives are asked to play important roles in the shaping of HIT policy. Which of the following apply to ways in which they can be actively involved?

Accepted Answer

Nurse executives can actively contribute to HIT policy by overcoming financial and cultural barriers related to HIT, supporting and providing leadership development on HIT-related topics, contributing to research that substantiates the business case for nursing, and improving patient safety through the use of decision-support tools at the point of care. Incrementally decreasing the information technology budget line for support services may not be an appropriate or effective way for nurse executives to be actively involved in shaping HIT policy.

Question 10

According to Peters (2002), which of the following are considered stages of policy development?

Accepted Answer

Stages of policy development typically include recognizing a problem or issue, setting an agenda for addressing it, and forming policies to tackle the identified problem. Brainstorming is a technique used within these stages, and budgeting, while related to policy implementation, is not considered a stage of policy development itself.

Question 11

The development of HIT policy advisory boards should reflect the needs of all citizens. To gather data needed to create appropriate policies, special interest groups become part of the assessment and planning process. To that end, which of the following groups support or impact health care policy?

Accepted Answer

All of the listed groups have a stake in and impact health care policy in some way, whether through research (Agency for Healthcare Research and Policy), advocacy (Alliance for Health Reform), representation of workers (American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations), representation of hospitals (American Hospital Association), or provision of health care information (Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation). Therefore, they would all be important to include in the assessment and planning process for developing HIT policy advisory boards that reflect the needs of all citizens.

Question 12

What are some of the HIT benefits that can be actualized in the health care setting?

Accepted Answer

Personalized health care is a HIT benefit that can be actualized in the health care setting.

Question 13

Health information technology can be seen as a tool to aid the health care reform process through which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Health information technology has great potential to improve the safety and efficiency of healthcare delivery through electronic health records, telemedicine, clinical decision support, and other tools. It can also help facilitate communication and coordination among healthcare providers, which is a key aspect of health care reform. Options A and D are incorrect as they do not align with the goals of healthcare reform, while option B is too vague and does not specifically relate to the role of health information technology in the reform process.

Question 14

Health care technology has multiple benefits and can be instrumental in continuing the health care reform process. Which of the following would be considered a benefit?

Accepted Answer

Immediate electronic access to all records allows for quicker and more accurate diagnoses and treatment decisions. The development of best practice models can improve patient outcomes and lower costs. Improving safety and efficiency of healthcare delivery leads to better overall patient experiences. Facilitating sharing of information improves the quality of care and can lead to improved outcomes. Option C, using a larger portion of the operating budget for equipment maintenance and purchases, is not necessarily a benefit as it may limit the resources available for staffing and other essential needs.

Question 15

Health policy may at times contribute to negative trends. Certain aspects of U.S. health policy have been blamed for creating or contributing to some of the health problems. Which of the following are associated with wayward policies?

Accepted Answer

Lack of clinical and administrative standardization, fragmented care, unequal access to care, turning health problems into marketing opportunities, and failure to curtail costs for services are all associated with wayward policies in U.S. health policy. These issues can contribute to negative health trends such as disparities in health outcomes and rising healthcare costs.

Question 16

Nurses can be leaders in the development and implementation of HITs by which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Nurses can be leaders in the development and implementation of HITs by guiding the process. Nurses have a unique perspective on the healthcare system and can provide valuable input on how HITs can be used to improve patient care.

Quiz 18: Health Information Technology and Policy