Identifying the Parents-Project Proposal
April 2, 2022
Executive summary
Projects are driven by the urge to solve an existing issue. The particular problem necessitates implementing the project to provide sustainable solutions. Digitally powered tools have offered significant improvements in various aspects where technology is applied. The introduction of the automated electronic model of operations will ensure that the uncertainties attributed to the discharge process are resolved. Other subset operations that occur in a pediatric healthcare unit related to data will also be significantly affected. The patients will be assured of their security; the same case with the parents, who will be assured of the safety of their children. The project will significantly impact the efficacy, efficiency, and accuracy of the admission and discharge operations and other tasks in the care unit. The following proposal provides more information regarding the project and the aspects that will transpire while the project is being implemented.
Table of Contents
Project Description, Rationale, and Evidence-Based Research. 4
Project Resource Cost and Budget 10
Identifying the Parents-Project Proposal
Projects are implemented intending to resolve a particular seen challenge. Organizations in the current era have focused on using digitalized information systems to enable the effective functioning of the set processes. Information systems utilized in hospitals have played a significant role in enabling smooth operations in healthcare settings. According to Khajouei and Farahani (2020), healthcare providers have benefitted from installing healthcare information systems that resolve recurring problems. The proposed project intents to offer a significant patient admission, electronic recording, and digitalized discharge process through effective verification of documents. Primarily, it is directed towards offering technological value to the operational scope of the healthcare unit. The main aspect of introducing innovative aspects within the operational scope of an organization is to help it manage the existing challenges. Manual-based way of recording patients during admission and verifying their discharge process is prone to inaccuracy. The installation of an electronic model for performing such aspects will create a better environment for executing the healthcare admission, recording, and discharge processes. The following report covers various information concerning the project.
Project Description, Rationale, and Evidence-Based Research
Project Description
The project is purposely intended to resolve the challenge concerning the admission of pediatric patients by verifying the details of their parents or guardians. Pediatric patients are children aged fourteen (14) years and below. They do not have the overall ability to present themselves for medication without the company of an older person who may be their parents or their guardians. The parents use their details as the identifications for the particular patient they bring for medication. Such information needs to be protected and preserved to reduce cases of cyber threats (Argaw et al., 2020). Inappropriate verification of the documents and details of the parents might lead to an extensive mix-up, which may bring concrete adversity such as the loss of children. In this case, the project is primarily intended to help establish an effective patient admission process by recording the parents’ data during the admission.
In between the hospital processes, the data will be transmitted across the electronic networks and presented to the exit point. Before the patients get discharged, the initially provided identification photo or document will be scanned and verified if it matches the details provided before admission. Once the verification of photo occurs, the nurse can approve the discharge. If a mismatch is noticed, there will be a reason for an alarm and a need to investigate such a case. Besides the effective recording of parents’ data and verification process, the system will be important in data storage. The keyed-in information will be kept in a database. Such data can be used in future reference or in times of need as they are easily accessible through the system searches.
Project Rationale
The enactment of a particular project should be evaluated by how well the project provisions will provide tangible outcomes. The project should be reviewed on how it will provide significant merits in addressing the foreseen challenges. One of the significant aspects that supports the value of the project is the innovative aspect that will be introduced to the hospital. According to Peikari et al. (2018), cybersecurity changes have come along due to the defects associated with uncontrolled data access. There is a higher probability of suffering great demerits if users’ data is not well protected. In the same case, the security of the users is also considered in a domain where effective authentication and verification are performed. Pediatric patients’ security will be leveraged. The parents’ information will be securely stored, enabling effective review for the effectiveness of countering the occurrence of cases of child loss.
Information retrieval is a key aspect of the operational domain. Desired data should be easy to retrieve without challenges. The use of manual means in recording patients’ names or parents’ details as they get admission and as they get discharged might be risky. A computerized scheme in the pediatric unit can help resolve the challenges, thus promoting a positive user experience (Shivers et al., 2019). The threat concerning such a process is based on the fact that written information is tedious to peruse. In this case, the installation of the electronic-based model of reviewing the parents’ Identification details and photos before admissions and during discharge will enable a point of easy retrieval. The information stored in a database will also be available for future reference. It will be accessed easily with a few clicks. The hospital can keep track of a particular patient and comfortably store the information concerning its customers.
Implementing this system will resolve the turn-around period that leads to delays during admission and discharge. According to Khajouei and Farahani (2020), healthcare providers, nurses, and doctors can enjoy the merit of reduced time during the execution of their processes. The available information through clicks ensure the physical transfer of files across the various department while the patient is being treated to the final point of discharge is evaded. An electronic-based network ensures that the transfer of information across such hospital departments is easily done (Shivers et al., 2019). Therefore, the project will combat delays extensively, thus promoting easy and smooth admission and discharge processes. The difficulties in reviewing the authenticity of the parent taking a particular child home will be resolved. There will be limited cases of delays during the two major hospital processes of admission and discharge of pediatric patients.
Information security will be placed at a leveraged ground. Data is prone to insecurities since cybercrime cases have increased in the current digital age (Argaw et al., 2020). By implementing this project, an information system will be installed to accommodate and store such recorded information. Access to such information will need effective user authentication before one is allowed to gain entry to the stored datasets. The security of the patients’ data and that of their parents will be securely stored, thus reducing the cases of data breaches. Confidentiality infringement will be significantly addressed, thus hindering the possibility of data exposure.
The application of digital tools in the pediatric care unit promotes efficacy (Doyle et al., 2022). Machines have a more reliable and fast way of delivering outputs without boredom or monotony. The overreliance on human labor, prone to mistakes, increases the probability of defects occurring in the pediatric care process. In this case, establishing the proposed system will reduce the use of human intelligence, which reduces the efficacy of the processes. Efficacy will be felt in the admission and discharge processes as they will be automated. Evaluating the parents’ legitimacy while walking home with their children will be performed effectively. There will be limited cases of tension concerning inappropriate verifications of users which had been mistakenly performed by human personnel.
Evidence-Based Research
Various scholars have indulged in researching the use and application of information systems in healthcare settings. According to Doyle et al. (2022), digital health tools have aided the introduction of a more dependable technical environment. Such an environment has limited cases of mistakes and errors, which might result in a more disastrous outcome in the long run. The idea provided by Doyle et al. (2022) was supported by Shrestha et al. (2021). The follow-up of pediatric patients needs to be effectively set to ensure few occurrences of mix-ups. Reliance on the manual way of pursuing the follow-up process as well as monitoring the parents might be challenging if done manually. Using the advanced methods in performing the process offers a higher affinity to effective process execution in the pediatric setting.
Clinical data in the pediatric unit should be well managed. The availability and accessibility of the clinical data are vital for ensuring the set healthcare procedures are executed as per the patient’s demands (Milenko et al., 2021). The security of such taken data should be promoted to limit cases of data breaches. Peikari et al. (2018) supported the authors’ views as their research focused on addressing the need for information security. In this case, the authors point to the value of implementing the project on how it will effectively establish a befitting environment where data security is promised. On the same note, Argaw et al. (2020) offered a similar suggestion on how data risks are resolved using electronic systems in the hospital setting. The pediatric unit will ensure the parents’ information is well cushioned from access. On the same note, it will increase the ability of children’s safety, as pointed out by Shrestha et al. (2021). The authors focused on revealing how a timely and reliable review of parents’ information can promote adequate follow-up for such parents while healthcare provisions are being administered to their in-patient children.
Doyle et al. (2022) supported the value of digital health tools and how they promote efficacy. Milenko et al. (2021) provided a similar contribution regarding how the use of digital systems helps save inconsistency and delays while performing clinal processes. As pointed out by these authors, their points agree on a common focal point supporting how the project is a rewarding venture. The ideas provided by the scholars are suitable in offering a rigid reinforcement and the value for investing in the project. Once the system is provided, there will be more merits to enjoy, as many scholars highlight in their research the value of digital innovation in the healthcare setting.
Goals and Objectives
Projects are directed by goals and objectives, which serve as the marking points for rating their success. The achievement of the set targets will be the milestone units used to measure the effectiveness of the efforts and resources channeled to the project.
Project Goals
The project’s goals that will guide the injected efforts in implementing this proposed digital scheme for the pediatric unit will be;
Increased effectiveness in parents’ authentication to counter cases of child loss
Reduced cases of delays during the discharge process
Promote efficiency in the delivery of healthcare provisions in the pediatric care unit
Leverage the security of data provided during the hospital visits
Project Objectives
The project objectives match the set project goals. They will be as follows;
Resolve the challenge of the wrong submission of a pediatric patient to the wrong parents by 5%, thus reducing the chances of child loss
The pediatric care unit will enjoy a significant smooth flow of discharge processes with possible effectiveness of 50%, resolving the delays due to manual-based operations.
Improve user experience by 25% by ensuring efficiency in delivering healthcare administrations to pediatric patients.
Provide 99% security for data and assurance on the impossibility of privacy or confidentiality infringement to the individuals visiting the healthcare department.
Project Resource Cost and Budget
The project will be implemented by using available resources and costs. There is a need for effective budgeting to ensure the required materials are availed for adequate implementation of the set activities. Establishing an electronic system in the pediatric care unit is a costly venture. The resource risks might be a significant issue if the budgeting process is not adequately done. In this case, the approximate budget will be hyped to ensure security finances for covering up extra charges and costs that may happen during the project implementation process. The costs to be used in the project are summarized in the table below;
| Unit | Number of units | Price per unit ($) | Total |
| Software | 2 | 5500 | 11,000 |
| Hardware devices | 10 | 5000 | 50,000 |
| Stakeholder charges | 1 | 4000 | 4,000 |
| Expert hiring | 1 | 9,000 | 9,000 |
| System testing | 1 | 11,000 | 11,000 |
| Servers | 3 | 3800 | 11,400 |
| Internet drives | 3 | 2900 | 8,700 |
| Connection hubs | 8 | 2500 | 20,000 |
| Connector cables | 72 | 650 | 46,800 |
| Miscellaneous | 20000 | 20,000 | |
| Totals | 191,900 |
Table 1: Project budget showing the needed costs
The availability of the needed hardware and software materials will ensure the system is implemented as per the anticipated merits. The costs and resource availability are key determiners of the project’s success. The availability of stakeholders is also a key aspect of the implementation scope. According to Susilowati et al. (2021), project management effectively enables all project aspects to be executed according to set standards. The software will be needed to run the system. The program will be directed towards executing the parents’ Identification Documents (IDs) verification process before admission and during discharge. The hardware costs will be directed towards purchasing the physical machines such as monitors, computer Central Processing Units (CPUs), keyboards, mouse, and supportive tools for the machines. Stakeholders’ charges will cover the costs needed in consultation.
Expert hiring will entail the costs used in contracting professionals to execute the system development. Professionals from different software agency will be hired for the testing process. Servers, internet drivers, connecting hubs, and connector cables are the supportive tools that will make up the system and ensure it operates. As presented in the budget, miscellaneous costs will be used to manage the unexpected costs that will erupt during the implementation process. Financial Analysis
The financial analysis can be performed through the use of Cost-Benefit Analysis tools. It is used to show the feasibility of the project and the potential market gains that will be obtained once it has been completed. The financial computations are as presented in the figures below;
Figure 1: Financial models
The total cost that will be channeled into the project is $191,900. Over the years, there will be a transition in costs, gradually declining. The payback period, as stated in the figure, is 31/4 years. The payback period is as presented in the graph below. The intersection of the lines is the payback period.
Figure 2: Pay Back period graph
The Net present value (NPV), which proves the feasibility of the project, is as shown below;
Figure 3: Net Present Value (NPV)
It is calculated using the formula;
NPV= {ct/(1+r) n – In
Where,
Ct= Cash flow at the end of the year
N= Life of the project
R= Discount rate
Proposed Project Plan
The project life cycle development process will consist of various stages and phases which will be 64 days. It will take a staged implementation pathway in which certain activities will precede others. There will be various activity relationships, including Start-to-Finish (SF), Finish-to-Finish (FF), Finish-to-Start (FS), and Start-to-Start (SS). The project management efforts that the project manager will impose should ensure the time set for each activity is observed. A possible delay in one of the activities might lead to an extensive delay in the entire project. Time scheduling and the time planning process should take a considerate plan to ensure no activity is left out. The project plan will be summarized in a timesheet stipulating the duration of each project activity. Time tracking will ensure each activity’s start date and end date are considered. The case of time mismanagement which is a key project threat and risk will be evaded once the project plan and the timeline are documented.
Project Schedule
The project schedule is as presented in the timesheet below;
| WBS | Task Name | Duration | Start | Finish | Predecessors |
| 1 | Implementing an electronic system for pediatric hospital | 64 days | Fri 3/25/22 | Wed 6/22/22 | |
| 1.1 | Project scope | 6 days | Fri 3/25/22 | Fri 4/1/22 | |
| 1.1.1 | Defining the project scope | 2 days | Fri 3/25/22 | Mon 3/28/22 | |
| 1.1.2 | Analyzing the project’s needed resources | 2 days | Tue 3/29/22 | Wed 3/30/22 | 3 |
| 1.1.3 | Reviewing and completing the project scope | 2 days | Thu 3/31/22 | Fri 4/1/22 | 4 |
| 1.2 | Data Collection | 15 days | Mon 4/4/22 | Fri 4/22/22 | |
| 1.2.1 | Stakeholder selection and meeting | 2 days | Mon 4/4/22 | Tue 4/5/22 | 5 |
| 1.2.2 | Feasibility study | 2 days | Wed 4/6/22 | Thu 4/7/22 | 7 |
| 1.2.3 | Creating budget estimate | 2 days | Fri 4/8/22 | Mon 4/11/22 | 8 |
| 1.2.4 | Designing the project objectives | 2 days | Tue 4/12/22 | Wed 4/13/22 | 9 |
| 1.2.5 | Choosing project team | 2 days | Thu 4/14/22 | Fri 4/15/22 | 10 |
| 1.2.6 | Developing and reviewing the project schedule | 2 days | Mon 4/18/22 | Tue 4/19/22 | 11 |
| 1.2.7 | Resource planning | 2 days | Wed 4/20/22 | Thu 4/21/22 | 12 |
| 1.2.8 | Summary of project analysis | 1 day | Fri 4/22/22 | Fri 4/22/22 | 13 |
| 1.3 | Project Planning | 8 days | Mon 4/25/22 | Wed 5/4/22 | |
| 1.3.1 | Revising project requirements | 2 days | Mon 4/25/22 | Tue 4/26/22 | 14 |
| 1.3.2 | Performing risk assessment | 2 days | Mon 4/25/22 | Tue 4/26/22 | 14 |
| 1.3.3 | Project prototyping | 2 days | Wed 4/27/22 | Thu 4/28/22 | 17 |
| 1.3.4 | Assessing the functional requirements | 2 days | Fri 4/29/22 | Mon 5/2/22 | 18 |
| 1.3.5 | Completing project design | 2 days | Tue 5/3/22 | Wed 5/4/22 | 19 |
| 1.4 | Project Development | 8 days | Thu 5/5/22 | Mon 5/16/22 | |
| 1.4.1 | Delegating project roles and duties | 2 days | Thu 5/5/22 | Fri 5/6/22 | 20 |
| 1.4.2 | Stakeholder meeting and consultation | 2 days | Mon 5/9/22 | Tue 5/10/22 | 22 |
| 1.4.3 | Procuring the project resources | 2 days | Wed 5/11/22 | Thu 5/12/22 | 23 |
| 1.4.4 | Proposing strategies for addressing project risks | 2 days | Fri 5/13/22 | Mon 5/16/22 | 24 |
| 1.5 | Electronic system implementation | 5 days | Tue 5/17/22 | Mon 5/23/22 | |
| 1.5.1 | Reviewing system hardware | 2 days | Tue 5/17/22 | Wed 5/18/22 | 25 |
| 1.5.2 | Hardware installation | 2 days | Tue 5/17/22 | Wed 5/18/22 | 25 |
| 1.5.3 | Installing software on hardware | 2 days | Thu 5/19/22 | Fri 5/20/22 | 27 |
| 1.5.4 | Network integration with existing ICT infrastructure | 3 days | Thu 5/19/22 | Mon 5/23/22 | 28 |
| 1.6 | Support nodes for functional requirements | 5 days | Tue 5/24/22 | Mon 5/30/22 | |
| 1.6.1 | Setting access points | 2 days | Tue 5/24/22 | Wed 5/25/22 | 30 |
| 1.6.2 | Network design | 1 day | Thu 5/26/22 | Thu 5/26/22 | 32 |
| 1.6.3 | Server set-up | 2 days | Fri 5/27/22 | Mon 5/30/22 | 33 |
| 1.7 | Testing the system | 14 days | Tue 5/31/22 | Fri 6/17/22 | |
| 1.7.1 | Testing the network | 2 days | Tue 5/31/22 | Wed 6/1/22 | 34 |
| 1.7.2 | Examining network weaknesses | 2 days | Thu 6/2/22 | Fri 6/3/22 | 36 |
| 1.7.3 | Performing unit testing | 2 days | Mon 6/6/22 | Tue 6/7/22 | 37 |
| 1.7.4 | Proposing possible changes | 2 days | Wed 6/8/22 | Thu 6/9/22 | 38 |
| 1.7.5 | Employees training | 6 days | Fri 6/10/22 | Fri 6/17/22 | |
| 1.7.5.1 | Planning training | 2 days | Fri 6/10/22 | Mon 6/13/22 | 39 |
| 1.7.5.2 | Execution the training | 2 days | Tue 6/14/22 | Wed 6/15/22 | 41 |
| 1.7.5.3 | Writing a user-guide | 2 days | Thu 6/16/22 | Fri 6/17/22 | 42 |
| 1.8 | Post Implementation | 3 days | Mon 6/20/22 | Wed 6/22/22 | |
| 1.8.1 | Appointing the maintenance team | 1 day | Mon 6/20/22 | Mon 6/20/22 | 43 |
| 1.8.2 | Reviewing the whole project | 1 day | Tue 6/21/22 | Tue 6/21/22 | 45 |
| 1.8.3 | Project closure | 1 day | Wed 6/22/22 | Wed 6/22/22 | 46 |
Table 2:Project timesheet
Measuring Outcomes
The key measuring aspects that will be used to review the project’s success are the landmarks that show how well the set project goals and objectives have been met. Therefore, the measuring outcomes will be determined by how the project will pursue such intended outcomes. They are as follows;
There will be an evaluation of whether there are reduced cases of the wrong submission of children to unidentified parents by the foreseen 5%, which will show that the fears and terrors of losing children will have been resolved.
An evaluation of whether the pediatric care unit will enjoy a significant flow of the discharge and the admission process by 50% and effectively resolve the challenges associated with the manual-based approach to conducting such operations.
Examine whether the user experience will have been impacted by a significant increment of 25% to reveal that reliable efficiency is promised during the delivery of the healthcare administrations.
An evaluation of whether there will be improved data security with the expected percentage of 99%, thus reducing any possibility of privacy or confidentiality infringement.
Conclusion
The implementation of the project is directed toward offering an innovative solution to the existing challenge. Administration of pediatric patients and the discharge processes require adequate review of their parents’ or guardians’ identification. Inaccurate confirmation of the parents’ documents may lead to increased uncertainties. As discussed in the proposal, the project is worth pursuing. There is a need for effective resource and cost planning to ensure all the set goals and project objectives are pursued. Project time management should also ensure that each activity is executed within the set timeframe. Therefore, implementing the electronic model is worthwhile and will bring about concrete merits to the pediatric unit.
References
Argaw, S. T., Troncoso-Pastoriza, J. R., Lacey, D., Florin, M.-V., Calcavecchia, F., Anderson, D., Burleson, W., Vogel, J.-M., O’Leary, C., Eshaya-Chauvin, B., & Flahault, A. (2020). Cybersecurity of Hospitals: discussing the challenges and working towards mitigating the risks. BMC medical informatics and decision making, 20(1), 1-146. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-020-01161-7
Doyle, S., Pavlos, R., Carlson, S. J., Barton, K., Bhuiyan, M., Boeing, B., Borland, M. L., Hoober, S., & Blyth, C. C. (2022). Efficacy of Digital Health Tools for a Pediatric Patient Registry: Semistructured Interviews and Interface Usability Testing With Parents and Clinicians. JMIR formative research, 6(1), e29889-e29889. https://doi.org/10.2196/29889
Khajouei, R., & Farahani, F. (2020). A combination of two methods for evaluating the usability of a hospital information system. BMC medical informatics and decision making, 20(1), 84-84. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-020-1083-6
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Peikari, H. R., T, R., Shah, M. H., & Lo, M. C. (2018). Patients’ perception of the information security management in health centers: the role of organizational and human factors. BMC medical informatics and decision making, 18(1), 102-102. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-018-0681-z
Shivers, L., Feldman, S. S., & Hayes, L. W. (2019). Development of a computerized pediatric intensive care unit septic shock pathway: improving user experience. Health systems, 8(3), 155-161. https://doi.org/10.1080/20476965.2019.1620638
Shrestha, M., Bhandari, G., Rathi, S. K., Gudlavalleti, A. G., Pandey, B., Ghimire, R., Ale, D., Kayastha, S., Chaudhary, D. S., & Byanju, R. (2021). Improving the Follow-up Rate for Pediatric Patients (0-16 years) of an Eye Hospital in Nepal: Protocol for a Public Health Intervention Study. JMIR research protocols, 10(10), e31578-e31578. https://doi.org/10.2196/31578
Susilowati, M., Kurniawan, Y., Prasetiya, H. P., Beatrix, R., Dewa, W. A., & Ahsan, M. (2021). How to manage scope, time, and cost of project management plan to develop manufacture information system. IOP conference series. Materials Science and Engineering, 1098(6), 62006. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/1098/6/062006