Describe your approved project by providing background/introduction information and specifying at least 8 project objectives.

Assignment Brief

Research PROPOSAL GUIDELINES:

(Double-spaced)

Any content drawn from other resources should be cited correctly and completely.

Include the following content in your proposal:

• Description and Objectives – Describe your approved project by providing background/introduction information and specifying at least 8 project objectives. The objectives should be actionable, specific, and measurable.  Avoid using words in the objective that are not measurable such as “understand”.  Each objective should result in a tangible outcome.  At least 2 of the 8 objectives should be aimed at developing or advancing your leadership skills. (at least 2 pages)
• Rationale - Explain how the project is significant by explaining how it contributes to the broader discipline of Health Informatics. (at least half a page)
• Please summarize your method/approach for each objective.   (at least 3 pages)
• Discuss how you expect to maintain professionalism and embrace inter-professional collaboration. What other professionals will you be interacting with?  Identify at least 3 ethical principles you will uphold as you work on the project.  (at least 1 page)  
• Include a project plan (recall what you learned in the Project Management course) with your overarching activities and timelines (at least 1 page)
• Describe the deliverables expected at the end of this course (these should be the tangible deliverables/products you expect to develop for the organization and not the class deliverables listed in Blackboard). Each project objective should result in at least one deliverable. (at least 1 page)
• Describe how your project objectives align with MHI program objectives (specified below). Please be sure to select all that apply and discuss each briefly. (at least 1 page)

MHI Program objectives include:

• Demonstrate knowledge in health, health information systems, and health data analytics in order to influence healthcare efficiency, quality, patient care, and population health
• Apply informatics techniques and tools, computational thinking, and data science methods to impact decision making, healthcare practice, the health of populations, and patients
• Demonstrate knowledge of major health policy, risk, and legal issues relevant to health informatics in order to articulate needed changes, mitigation strategy, and best practices
• Identify and apply evidence-based framework in order to have a valid and reliable basis for conclusions , to evaluate health informatics application, and to explain human behavior associated with technology adoption and use
• Exhibit ethical values, professionalism, and inter-professional collaborations while solving health informatics problems
• Demonstrate leadership and management knowledge, abilities, and skills to lead changes and manage innovation in healthcare or population health
• Demonstrate ability to effectively use knowledge and skills to propose and complete a real world health informatics project in order to impact healthcare practice, research, or population health

The project will create deliverable/artifacts, such as a policy and procedure, database, data collection tool, website, a strategic IT plan, dashboard etc.

Sample Answer

Research Proposal

Description and Objectives

This project focuses on the implementation of a Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) in a medium-sized hospital to reduce medication errors, improve diagnostic accuracy, and enhance overall patient care quality. A CDSS is a health information technology tool that provides clinicians, nurses, and pharmacists with real-time, evidence-based guidance to support decision-making at the point of care.

Medication errors are a significant patient safety concern globally, often resulting in preventable harm and increased healthcare costs. Introducing a CDSS integrated with the hospital’s existing Electronic Health Record (EHR) system can alert clinicians about potential drug interactions, dosage errors, and patient allergies before medication is prescribed or administered.

The project will be implemented over a six-month period, covering system customisation, staff training, pilot testing, and full deployment. The CDSS will be tailored to the hospital’s needs, ensuring it aligns with current clinical workflows and regulatory standards.

Project Objectives

1. Deploy a CDSS integrated into the hospital’s EHR within six months.

2. Reduce reported medication errors by at least 25% within the first three months after implementation.

3. Develop and deliver a training programme for at least 90% of clinical staff within two months.

4. Customise CDSS alerts to match hospital-specific treatment protocols within four weeks.

5. Establish a monitoring and evaluation system for tracking CDSS performance and user satisfaction.

6. Enhance my leadership skills by leading a multidisciplinary project team through all stages of implementation.

7. Improve my ability to manage change by developing strategies to address staff resistance and encourage adoption.

8. Produce a comprehensive post-implementation report with recommendations for ongoing optimisation.

Rationale

The proposed project is significant because it addresses one of the most pressing challenges in healthcare: medication safety. The World Health Organization has identified medication errors as a major public health issue, often resulting in avoidable harm and financial strain on health systems.

By implementing a CDSS, the project will contribute to the broader field of Health Informatics by:

• Demonstrating how technology can enhance patient safety and clinical decision-making.

• Providing a model for integrating evidence-based tools into existing health information systems.

• Generating measurable data on the impact of informatics solutions on clinical outcomes.

The insights gained will be valuable for healthcare organisations considering similar implementations and will strengthen the evidence base for using decision support technologies to improve care quality and efficiency.

Methods / Approach for Each Objective

Objective 1: Deploy a CDSS integrated into the hospital’s EHR within six months.

• Conduct a needs assessment.

• Select a CDSS vendor based on compatibility with the existing EHR.

• Oversee installation and integration with IT staff.

Objective 2: Reduce reported medication errors by at least 25% within the first three months after implementation.

• Benchmark current error rates.

• Enable drug–drug interaction, allergy, and dosage checking features.

• Monitor and compare error rates post-implementation.

Objective 3: Develop and deliver a training programme for at least 90% of clinical staff within two months.

• Create user-friendly training materials.

• Conduct in-person and virtual training sessions.

• Provide ongoing helpdesk support.

Objective 4: Customise CDSS alerts to match hospital-specific treatment protocols within four weeks.

• Review existing treatment guidelines with medical leadership.

• Configure alerts accordingly in the CDSS.

Continued...