Date of Conferral

2016

Degree

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)

School

Business Administration

Advisor

Marilyn Simon

Abstract

Small nonprofit medical practices lack the technical expertise to implement electronic medical records (EMRs) that are consistent with federal meaningful-use requirements. Failure to comply with meaningful-use EMR requirements affects nonprofit community health care leaders' ability to receive reimbursement for care. Complexity theory was the conceptual framework used in this exploratory single case study. The purpose of the study was to explore the strategies nonprofit community health care leaders in Washington, DC used to implement EMRs in order to comply with the meaningful-use requirements. Data were collected via in-depth interviews with 7 purposively-selected health care leaders in a nonprofit clinic and were supplemented with archival records from the organization's policies and legislated mandates. Participants' responses were coded into invariant constituents, single concepts, and ideas to develop theme clusters. Member checking was used to validate the transcribed data which was subsequently coded into 4 themes that included: access to information, quality of care, training, and reporting implications. Recommendations include increased effectiveness of training provided to health care leaders or the perceptions of the patients as stakeholders in EMR implementation. By using strategies that facilitate seamless movement of information within a digital health care infrastructure, business leaders could benefit from improved reimbursement for services. Implications for social change include progress and transformation in the way health care access is provided.

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