Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Mary Martin

Abstract

Proper documentation for meaningful use (MU) criteria within electronic health records (EHRs) was identified as an issue for office staff at a local primary care office in a metropolitan area of Central Florida. The project question addressed the local gap in knowledge about MU standards necessary to ensure correct documentation of EHRs. The purpose of this doctoral project was to provide an educational program for staff to ensure compliance with the HITECH Act of 2009. Lewin’s Change Theory and Knowles Theory of Adult learning were the conceptual foundations for the educational program. The project question was to determine whether a staff educational program to review current MU standards would increase staff understanding of the need for compliance. A comprehensive review of the literature was compiled from the Walden University Library databases and provided current evidence to support the educational program. Data from the pretest/posttest were collated using Microsoft Excel. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic only three clerical staff and one physician could participate in the educational program, which resulted in a small sample size that does not allow for meaningful educational statistical analysis. A review of the pre/posttest results was conducted and indicated a substantive improvement by the staff in their understanding of MU criteria. There was nearly universal agreement of an improved knowledge of MU, the key component of compliance with the standards. Positive social change included increased office staff confidence, minimization of paperwork and engagement of stakeholders, expanding affordable care access and potentially improved quality of care as well as preventing medical errors and decreasing the cost of healthcare.

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