Clinical support systems are important for automating healthcare processes and services. This presentation focuses on three key clinical support systems: (1) staff scheduling and patient acuity systems which balance staffing needs based on patient workload; (2) staff credentialing systems which verify provider qualifications; and (3) learning management systems which deliver education to staff and track their knowledge. When procuring these systems, organizations should perform market analysis, issue requests for information and proposals, evaluate vendor responses, conduct on-site demonstrations, and select the best fitting vendor.

1. Clinical Support Systems
Importance in Health Care
Organizations
Dr Samir Sawli

2. Introduction
• Clinical Support systems are Information systems
which complement the backbone systems of any
health care organization wishing to automate
their processes and services to patients and staff.
• There are many systems which are considered
clinical support systems, I will focus on three
systems in this presentation
1. Staff Scheduling and Patient Acuity
2. Staff Credentialing System
3. Learning Management system

3. Staff Scheduling and Patient Acuity
• Over and under staffing is no more acceptable in
reputable organizations
• Staff Scheduling is a tool to schedule staff
according to workload needs
• Workload needs is captured and calculated in the
Patient Acuity System
• The Key is to balance Demand against Supply
otherwise you will end up with either shortage of
services or overtime hours and both are
unwanted results

4. Staff Scheduling How does it Work
Patient Acuity is the driver
Right Number of Staff of this cycle
Right Skill and Category Patient Acuity
Scores from
EMR/CIS
Staff Scheduling
Translated System process
into
Workload
the schedule
figures in automatically
Acuity System putting the right
skilled person on
duty

5. Staff Credentialing System
• To credential health care provider’s education
and experience
• May work for non health care organizations
Monitor and
Application Credentialing Hiring
Renew
Basic Functions:
•Add applicants to database
•Send automated Messages followed by reminders to universities and previous
employers
•Use web crawling to verify graduation
•Perform criminal record checking and alert if new case is filed against practioner
•Tracks performance against set criteria so that more privileges could be given
• Monitor license expiry dates and send automated reminders

6. Learning Management System (LMS)
Identify
Education
Need
How does it work
 Create education Portfolio for each employee
 Educators identify learning needs and design an
education plan for the employee or category of
employees
 Education content is composed and delivered using
the LMS to employees on-site, off site and remote
areas
 Staff is quizzed or examined electronically or at Employee Quiz/Test/
classroom Develop
 Employee gives feedback about education Content Education Verify
Knowledge

experience and content
Education record is updated according to quiz result
Portfolio
 Education portfolio once updated can serve multi
purposes for employees, organization and
ultimately the government
 Example Bio Hazard training can be delivered using
multimedia to employees across the country
Deliver
Content

7. How to Procure
• Set initial requirements of your organization
• Market Analysis ( KLASS, HIT, Gartner)
• Send Request for Information( RFI) to top vendors
• Convene an expert evaluation group together to review the requirements and RFP
• Do a web demonstration, it brings a lot of insight, take notes and expand your
requirements
• Issue a Request for Proposal (RFP )
• Evaluate responses according to set criteria (AUTO SCORE) and review INITIAL
RESULTS
• Invite top vendors on site to demonstrate their system and VERIFY RESULTS
• Design evaluation forms and give to team to use during demonstration
• Review with vendor overall requirements, Technical Specs, Licenses and Support
• Compose final report and send to procurement to start commercial response
comparison
• Identify Vendor A and Vendor B

9. THANK YOU
For any questions
ssawli@sidra.org
ssawli@yahoo.com
ssawli@hotmail.com
ssawli@skype
ssawli@linkedin
Mobile +974-66076403