Executive Summary
PM FPX 4030 Assessment 1 Patient Safety and Physician Satisfaction are paramount for the Preventative Care Healthcare Organization (PCHO). Over the last five years, PCHO expanded from a single to five locations. In order to accommodate the evolving needs of its patients, physicians, shareholders, and community, PCHO will be introducing an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) System to replace its existing manual processes. Since other competitors in the area will be starting to implement EMRs, PCHO must take the lead by installing an EMR system to remain a health leader. Advantages of an EMR system include:
• Elimination of bulky paper files
• Improved access to clinical data
• Improved clinical workflow
• Reduction of medical errors and improved patient safety
• Simplified Meaningful Use, Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), and other quality program compliance
• Enhanced data collection and analysis capabilities
• Seamless interaction with network hospitals, clinics, laboratories, and pharmacies (Athenahealth, Inc., 2018).
Moreover, our third-party accounting firm estimates a 25% rise in profits in the first two years and then a steady growth of 10% to 15% per annum. PCHO will solicit bids from experienced EMR providers at a cost of $250,000 per project. The winning vendor should finish the project in 12 months pending physicians’ approval. Adherence to timelines, budget, project scope, and quality standards will be facilitated by a Project Change Control Committee. Physicians and Health Information Management (HIM) staff will access the EMR system via PCs, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones, thereby enhancing the speed of service and patient satisfaction. The Project Manager will have a risk management team to investigate possible problems. Currently, the risk of completion of the project within the planned time and cost is minimal.
Statement of Work
The Statement of Work consists of the following elements:
• Approval of the project
• Selection of the vendor
• Project Charter
• Project Scope Statement
• Installation of the application
• Testing of the application
• Training of the application
• Implementation of EMR to all five locations of PCHO
Approval of the budget for the next quarter is required so that the project is completed during the existing fiscal year without disruppting existing operations and other projects.
Project Scope Management
Project Title: Preventative Care – Electronic Medical Record (EMR)
Prepared by Angelo Riccio
Date: 04/15/2018
Overview
PM FPX 4030 Assessment 1 Preventative Care, a five-location healthcare company with headquarters in Peoria, Illinois, intends to implement an Electronic Medical Record System. The company has grown from one to five locations over the past five years and requires a vendor capable of managing its increasing business needs. The company invites bids from both mature vendors and design or development-stage vendors.
Business Objectives
• Fetch patient records from the five locations
• Web application with little hardware requirement
• Scheduling of doctors centralized
• Clustering of application servers in a single location
Project Description
The EMR system should include the following elements:
• Patient information
• Patient insurance information
• Patient visits
• Doctor information
• Doctor appointments and schedule
• Patient billing
• Patient allergies
• Patient diagnosis
• Patient vaccinations
• Patient medication orders and prescriptions
• Patient laboratory orders and results
Project Scope
In Scope
• Budget: $250,000
• Installation at each of the five Preventative Care sites
• 12-month cycle time
• Interface integration between all sites
• Documentation needed from vendors: Project Charter, Scope Statement, Project Schedule, Project Costs, Project Risks, Technical Requirements, Labor Requirements, Communications Plan
Out of Scope
• Bids in excess of the $250,000 budget
• Physicians’ remote access
• Third-party vendors without PCHO permission
External Dependencies
No external dependencies have been identified.
Assumptions
• Vendors will honor bid deadlines
• Vendors will stay within the budget
• Doctor approval of vendor choice
Constraints
• The $250,000 budget will not be overrun
• The vendor must be from the US in order to control travel expenses
Project Milestones
• Vendor Selection: 06/01/2018
• Approval of Vendor: 06/08/2018
• Project Start Date: 07/15/2018
• Project End Date: 12/15/2018
Primary Plans
The project shall have:
• Project Scope Management Plan
• Project Time Management Plan
• Project Cost Management Plan
• Project Quality Management Plan
Authorizations
Project Scope Statement Approval / Signatures
PM FPX 4030 Assessment 1This document is utilized to record preliminary planning effort and to achieve mutual understanding of the objectives and scope of the project before investing considerable resources.
Project Time Management Plan
Introduction
The given Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) document outlines the amount of detailed tasks, times, and interdependencies necessary to complete the Preventative Care – Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Project. The WBS is required to be followed by all vendors as per the specifications of the Project Management Office.
Project Schedule Plan
The Gantt Chart shown is a visual illustration of the EMR Project Schedule. The chart records task deadlines, deliverables, and baseline information, which shows the original scope, cost, and schedule. Any deviation from the baseline must be authorized by the Project Change Control Committee (PROJECT-MANAGEMENT.COM, 2018, January 25).
Critical Path Analysis Summary
In the critical path analysis, we have identified the activities that are crucial to the timely delivery of the project. Delays in these critical activities will impact the overall project schedule (Schwalbe, 2016).
Project Cost Management
Cost Management Plan
Project Name: Preventative Care – Electronic Medical Record (EMR)
Introduction
The Preventative Care program requires an EMR system to substitute its current manual processes. As the company is expanding, it has to employ a vendor capable of meeting its expanding demands. Experienced and new vendors are invited for bids.
Units of Measure
• Budget: $250,000
• Labor: 12 months / 261 business days
Level of Precision and Accuracy
Three vendor bids have been received:
• Vendor A: $225,000 in 11 months
• Vendor B: $225,000 in 11 months
• Vendor C: $250,000 in 12 months
Control Thresholds
Approved budget is at $250,000 with tolerance of ±10%. Control will be measured on the basis of Microsoft Project comparison of planned vs. actual values (Biafore, 2007).
Performance Measurement
Earning Value Management (EVM) will be applied to assess performance at key milestones. The suppliers will have to respond to major questions regarding project progress and closure (O’Reilly, 2017, May 11).
Documentation
Business Case, Project Charter, Scope Statement, WBS, Project Schedule, Risk Register, Communication Plan, and Lessons Learned are key project documents.
Reporting
Weekly status reports will be submitted to the key stakeholders, while monthly reports will be presented to executives. Risk reports will be generated whenever needed.
Project Quality Management
Introduction
Quality metrics such as pass/failure percentages, service availability, and customer satisfaction will be monitored during the EMR project (Schwalbe, 2016).
Quality Planning Tools
• Fishbone Diagram
• Control Chart
The Fishbone Diagram will assist in the diagnosis of quality issues, while the Control Chart will provide details on process stability (DeBenedetti, 2017, September 26; Usmani, 2015).
Fishbone Diagram
The diagram emphasizes the causes and consequences of project issues. The steps involve establishing the problem statement, brainstorming, and determining root causes.
Control Chart
Control charts are used to track process variations over time to see if processes are stable or need to be altered (American Society for Quality, 2018).
Out-of-Control Signals and Quality Metrics
In evaluating control charts, it is vital to record any “out-of-control signals.” These signals should be noted on the chart as soon as identified, and an analysis of the causes of the signals should be conducted. The procedure followed, results obtained, causes identified, and corrective action taken should be documented.
As previously mentioned in the project timeline, Earned Value Management (EVM) will be applied to gauge project performance. EVM enhances communications on project tasks and provides better visibility and accountability. The basic principle of EVM is that the value of work done should align with the funds expended on work done (Deshpande, 2014). For the Preventative Care – Electronic Medical Record (EMR) project, the following Quality Metrics will be employed:
• Planned Value (PV)
• Actual Cost (AC)
• Earned Value (EV)
• Schedule Variance (SV)
• Schedule Performance Index (SPI)
• Cost Variance (CV)
• Cost Performance Index (CPI)
• Estimated at Completion (EAC)
PM FPX 4030 Assessment 1 Project Management Plan
EVM calculates three values that summarize the Preventative Care – Electronic Medical Record (EMR) project:
• Planned Value (PV): This is the share of the approved total cost estimate to be incurred on an activity within a given timeframe (Schwalbe, 2016).
• Actual Cost (AC): This refers to the aggregate of the direct and indirect expenses incurred for the execution of work within a given timeframe (Schwalbe, 2016).
• Earned Value (EV): This estimates the value of the work actually completed, based on the original planned costs and the rate at which the work is completed (Schwalbe, 2016).
Assuming the project is halfway through its year-long duration with a total budget of $250,000, the budgeted amount at the 6-month mark is $130,000. The Actual Cost at this point is $115,000. Therefore:
• Planned Value (PV): $130,000
• Actual Cost (AC): $115,000
• Earned Value (EV): $125,000 (calculated as $250,000 * 0.5)
• Schedule Variance (SV): EV – PV = $125,000 – $130,000 = -$5,000 (negative, meaning the project is behind schedule)
• Schedule Performance Index (SPI): EV / PV = $125,000 / $130,000 = 0.96 (less than 1, meaning poor performance)
• Cost Variance (CV): EV – AC = $125,000 – $115,000 = $10,000 (positive, denoting that the project is within budget)
• Cost Performance Index (CPI): EV / AC = $125,000 / $115,000 = 1.08 (higher than 1, denoting effective cost performance)
• Estimated at Completion (EAC): Total Project Budget / CPI = $250,000 / 1.08 = $231,481
Summary and Quality Concern
The project is now behind schedule, as suggested by the negative Schedule Variance (SV) and a Schedule Performance Index (SPI) less than 1. To mitigate this, a need to accelerate progress in the second half of the project arises with urgency. On a positive note, Cost Variance (CV) is positive, and the Cost Performance Index (CPI) is more than 1, showing that the project is below budget. Being the project manager of the Preventative Care – Electronic Medical Record (EMR) project, I am optimistic that we could get the project back on course while still achieving both the quality and budget expectations.
Project Quality Tools Evaluation
Pareto Chart
A Pareto chart is an important quality tool that determines the most common defects or problems by classifying and tallying them (American Society for Quality, 2018). It is especially helpful in examining data on problem frequencies so that teams can prioritize the most important problems.
Advantages:
• Emphasizes significant inputs
• Has a straightforward, visual structure for importance
• Enables comparison of change in processes
Disadvantages:
• Does not identify causes
• Cannot measure the severity of problems or the effect of changes (Wilhite, 2017)
Histogram
A histogram is a graphical plot used to show the distribution of variables by means of bars, each of which denotes the frequency of a characteristic (Schwalbe, 2016). It is useful for comparing broad data ranges.
Advantages:
• Enables easy comparison of information
• Applicable for big data sets
Disadvantages:
• Not convenient when comparing several categories
• Difficult to pull exact data values (Acampora, 2013)
Scatter Diagram
A scatter diagram is utilized in determining correlations between two variables through plotting numerical data pairs against a graph (Schwalbe, 2016).
Advantages:
• Displays correlations between variables
• Can be used in determining non-linear patterns
Disadvantages:
• Does not indicate exact correlation extent
• Only applies in displaying relationships between two variables (Usmani, 2014)
Flow Chart
Flow chart graphically depicts project procedures, showing related processes and actions during the entire project life (Westland, 2018).
Advantages:
• Visually clear
• Communication and problem-solving aids
Disadvantages:
• Complete redrawing may be required for changes
• Reproducibility difficulties due to symbols that cannot be typed (EdrawSoft, 2018)
Project Lessons Learned and Reflection
Lessons Learned:
• Vendor Selection: The six-month period for evaluating vendors was inadequate; two additional months would have been preferable.
• Budget: The original budget of $250,000 was not sufficient; an additional $50,000 was needed to cover project requirements.
• Physician Training: More time was needed because fewer physicians than anticipated participated.
• Communication Plan: Major stakeholders failed to attend meetings, which created scheduling issues.
Reflections:
This course has made a great impact in my knowledge of project management principles, especially Earned Value Management (EVM), and imparted useful knowledge on different project documents and tools. I have gained a better understanding of terms and meanings that will improve my career skills. Though I still struggle with Gantt charts, materials like video training have been immensely helpful. All in all, this experience will make a big difference in my future work in project management.
References
Acampora, J. (2013, May 20). Comparative Distribution Chart – Histogram or Box Plot Alternative. Retrieved June 5, 2018, from https://www.excelcampus.com/
American Society for Quality (2018). CONTROL CHART. Control Chart – Statistical Process Control Charts | ASQ. Retrieved May 31, 2018, from http://asq.org
American Society for Quality. (2018). PARETO CHART. Retrieved June 5, 2018, from http://asq.org
American Society for Quality. (2018). SCATTER DIAGRAM. Retrieved June 5, 2018, from http://asq.org
Acampora, J. (2013, May 20). Comparative Distribution Chart – Histogram or Box Plot Alternative. Retrieved June 5, 2018, from https://www.excelcampus.com
PM FPX 4030 Assessment 1 Project Management Plan
PM FPX 4030 Assessment 1 Project Management Plan Schwalbe, K. (2016). Information Technology Project Management (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Usmani, F. (2014). What is a Scatter Diagram? Retrieved June 5, 2018, from https://pmstudycircle.com/2014/08/what-is-a-scatter-diagram-correlation-chart/
Wilhite, T. (2017, September 26). The Disadvantages of Pareto Analysis. Retrieved June 5, 2018, from https://bizfluent.com/list-6831238-disadvantages-pareto-analysis.html
Westland, J. (2018, February 15). Sample Project Management Flow Chart. Retrieved June 5, 2018, from https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/sample-project-management-flow-chart
