Posted: March 18th, 2023

Fact Sheet on Nursing Informatics-Related Healthcare Policy

McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2022). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (5th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Chapter 8, “Legislative Aspects of Nursing Informatics: HIPAA, HITECH and Beyond” (pp. 161–181)
American Association of Nurse Practitioners. (2018). MACRA/MIPS: The transition from fee-for-service to quality-based reimbursementLinks to an external site.. Retrieved from https://www.aanp.org/legislation-regulation/federal-legislation/macra-s-quality-payment-program
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (n.d.). MACRALinks to an external site.. Retrieved January 18, 2019, from https://www.cms.gov/medicare/quality-initiatives-patient-assessment-instruments/value-based-programs/macra-mips-and-apms/macra-mips-and-apms.html
HealthIT.gov. (2018a). Health IT legislationLinks to an external site.. Retrieved from https://www.healthit.gov/topic/laws-regulation-and-policy/health-it-legislation
HealthIT.gov. (2018b). Meaningful use and MACRALinks to an external site.. Retrieved from
https://www.healthit.gov/topic/meaningful-use-and-macra/meaningful-use-and-macra
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Laws & RegulationsLinks to an external site.. Retrieved September 27, 2018, from https://www.hhs.gov/regulations/index.html As a professional nurse, you are expected to apply your expertise to patient care. On occasion, you will also be expected to share that expertise.
With evolving technology and continuous changes to regulations designed to keep up these changes, there is usually a need to share information and expertise to inform colleagues, leadership, patients, and other stakeholders.
In this Assignment, you will study a recent nursing informatics-related healthcare policy, and you will share the relevant details via a fact sheet designed to inform and educate.
To Prepare:
• Review the Resources on healthcare policy and regulatory/legislative topics related to health and nursing informatics. • Consider the role of the nurse informaticist in relation to a healthcare organization’s compliance with various policies and regulations, such as the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA). • Research and select one health or nursing informatics policy (within the past 5 years) or regulation for further study.
The Assignment: (1 page not including the title and reference page)
Create a 1-page fact sheet that your healthcare organization could hypothetically use to explain the health or nursing informatics policy/regulation you selected. Your fact sheet should address the following:
• Briefly and generally explain the policy or regulation you selected. • Address the impact of the policy or regulation you selected on system implementation. • Address the impact of the policy or regulation you selected on clinical care, patient/provider interactions, and workflow. • Highlight organizational policies and procedures that are/will be in place at your healthcare organization to address the policy or regulation you selected. Be specific. • Use APA format and include a title page, in-text citations, and reference page. • Use the Safe Assign Drafts to check your match percentage before submitting your work.

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Title: Fact Sheet on Nursing Informatics-Related Healthcare Policy

Introduction
As healthcare continues to evolve and transform, policies and regulations designed to support and improve patient care have also emerged. One such policy is the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA). This fact sheet aims to inform and educate healthcare professionals and stakeholders about the impact of this policy on the healthcare system and clinical care.

Policy Description
MACRA was passed into law in 2015, with the aim of transitioning from fee-for-service to value-based care. The policy aims to achieve this by implementing two tracks: the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and the Alternative Payment Model (APM). MIPS aims to incentivize providers to improve quality and reduce costs, while APMs offer financial incentives to providers who participate in value-based care models.

Impact on System Implementation
The policy has significant implications on the implementation of healthcare systems. For example, healthcare organizations must implement electronic health record (EHR) systems that comply with MACRA standards. Failure to comply may lead to reduced reimbursement rates, which can have severe financial implications on healthcare organizations.

Impact on Clinical Care and Workflow
MACRA has the potential to significantly impact clinical care and workflow. Providers must comply with quality measures to avoid penalties and maximize reimbursement rates. This may require providers to adjust their clinical workflows and practices to meet the quality standards set by MACRA.

Organizational Policies and Procedures
To address MACRA, our healthcare organization has implemented several policies and procedures. We have invested in MACRA-compliant EHR systems and provided training to our staff on the policy’s requirements. Our clinical workflows have been adjusted to meet MACRA standards, and we have implemented quality measures to ensure compliance.

Conclusion
MACRA is a significant policy that aims to improve the quality of care while reducing healthcare costs. It has significant implications on healthcare organizations and clinical care, and it is essential that healthcare professionals and stakeholders are aware of its requirements. Our organization has taken steps to ensure compliance with the policy, and we are committed to providing high-quality care to our patients while meeting MACRA standards.

References

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (n.d.). MACRA. Retrieved from https://www.cms.gov/medicare/quality-initiatives-patient-assessment-instruments/value-based-programs/macra-mips-and-apms/macra-mips-and-apms.html

American Association of Nurse Practitioners. (2018). MACRA/MIPS: The transition from fee-for-service to quality-based reimbursement. Retrieved from https://www.aanp.org/legislation-regulation/federal-legislation/macra-s-quality-payment-program

HealthIT.gov. (2018a). Health IT legislation. Retrieved from https://www.healthit.gov/topic/laws-regulation-and-policy/health-it-legislation

HealthIT.gov. (2018b). Meaningful use and MACRA. Retrieved from https://www.healthit.gov/topic/meaningful-use-and-macra/meaningful-use-and-macra