Deck 7: Strategic Planning for Information Technology Projects

Question 1

A neurology unit and an orthopedic unit will be combined into one unit. In which group would decisions best be made?

A)Admitting physicians and surgeons meet with the board of Directors and upper-level management team members
B)The head nurses of each unit meet with the vice president of nursing and house supervisor
C)Staff nurses and management from each unit meet with admitting physicians and upper-level management team members
D)Former clients are invited to sit with the board of directors and the medical director

Answer 1

Staff nurses and management from each unit meet with admitting physicians and upper-level management team members

Question 2

Which of the following goals would be useful in the strategic plan?

A)To support business and clinical decisions
B)To make effective use of emerging technologies
C)To enhance the organization's image
D)To spend whatever is necessary to create a state of the art system
E)To provide a safer environment for clients

Answer 2

To support business and clinical decisions
To make effective use of emerging technologies
To enhance the organization's image
To provide a safer environment for clients

Question 3

Which of the following statements is true about goals?

A)A goal is a closed-ended statement that describes in specific terms what is to be accomplished.
B)A goal is an open-ended statement that describes in general terms what is to be accomplished.
C)A goal defines the mission of the organization.
D)A goal states how and when an organization will meet its objectives.

Answer 3

A goal is an open-ended statement that describes in general terms what is to be accomplished.

Question 4

The management of a busy tertiary acute-care institution is weighing the decision to outsource information-management services. Which of the following factors is critical to that decision?

A)Data security will be enhanced because the agency specializes in information technology.
B)The agency will provide customization of services to fulfill the acute-care institution's needs.
C)Management can control the implementation of system updates, maintenance, and system downtimes.
D)Access to resource personnel available for assistance will be improved when technical problems arise.

Question 5

A project manager is assigned to each major project within the overall strategic plan. Which of the following specific practices that the project manager can engage in will raise the likelihood of success?

A)Defines the scope and results of the project
B)Defines who is responsible for each task
C)Establishes timeline for task completion
D)Establishes how project decisions will be made
E)Partners with similar institutions to achieve project's goals

Question 6

Which is the best example of strategic planning in an acute care facility?

A)Team members of an organization take on a project to develop policies and procedures one year prior to the Joint Commission accreditation visit.
B)Upon acquiring a new facility, team members are selected to identify goals and strategies to develop policies fitting the newly revised mission statement.
C)A project team from a marketing firm is hired to develop an advertising campaign for the specialized health-promotion services of the acute-care facility.
D)Team members from administration meet as a group to rewrite their one-year-old acute care institution's mission statement.

Question 7

Which of the following has been most instrumental in mandating strategic planning to achieve organization and population health care goals?

A)Internal stakeholders
B)Community members
C)Health care reform
D)Nursing Informatics Specialist

Question 8

When considering strategic planning for information systems and planning for the overall organization which of the following are true?

A)The IS strategic plan must support and enable the organization's goals.
B)The CIO prioritizes and merges the requirements from each department to develop a master strategic plan.
C)The CIO selects a project manager for each major project within the overall strategic plan.
D)The IS strategic plan must be revised much more frequently than the organization's strategic plan.
E)The CIO is ultimately responsible for IS strategic planning.

Question 9

Which of the following individuals are important members of the strategic planning initiative?

A)Chief executive officer
B)Project manager
C)Chief information officer
D)Chief strategy officer
E)Nurse informatics specialist

Question 10

An outpatient center is planning to implement wireless technology to enhance their computer system. The project planning committee plans to conduct a needs assessment. Which of the following sources would be most valuable?

A)Interviews with the director and unit managers of outpatient services and the chief executive officer
B)Guidelines provided by the Joint Commission
C)Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) regulations
D)Interviews with administrators and representative employees from all of the outpatient services

Question 11

During the implementation phase in the strategic planning process, what is the initial task of the working committee?

A)Create a budget
B)Execute the plan
C)Develop procedures
D)Develop a timeline

Question 12

A stakeholder is part of the strategic planning process. Which of the following are considered stakeholders?

A)Internal customers
B)Unions
C)Government bodies
D)Community members
E)External customers

Question 13

Which of the following would most benefit from a complete computer system upgrade?

A)An institution using a mainframe legacy system
B)A small clinic that has an electronic record system in place
C)Two institutions that use similar mainframe systems merge
D)Three institutions that use similar Windows-based operating systems merge

Question 14

Which of the following is the most appropriate team leader for a strategic planning team for an acute-care institution?

A)Resident emergency department physician who was recently hired
B)Nurse manager of a 16-bed coronary-care unit who has been employed at the institution for one year
C)Vice president of Nursing and Patient Care Services, appointed two years ago
D)Nurse supervisor of the medical-surgical units, encompassing 130 beds

Question 15

Which of the following is the best definition of strategic planning?

A)Strategic planning is defined as a chaotic approach to organizational change.
B)Strategic planning is defined as a series of sequential steps leading to individualized goals.
C)Strategic planning is defined as a plan devoid of a mission and goals.
D)Strategic planning is defined as the process of determining what an organization wants to be in the future and planning how it will get there.

Question 16

Which of the following specific examples is an information technology need that hospital strategic planning must address in the coming years?

A)Creating standardized languages
B)Bar code medication administration
C)Identification of Microsoft's new product line
D)Hiring an appropriate chief executive officer

Question 17

Which of the following is an example of a goal for strategic planning?

A)Enhance the organization's website image within six months.
B)Clinical decision-making in the emergency department will be supported by additional funds for personnel training during the fall.
C)The scope of home care services will be maintained with the same budget for the next fiscal year, during which an audit will be conducted.
D)Expand services to include e-health capability for consumers.

Question 18

Which of the following is the best example of benchmarking?

A)The length of stay in a 712-bed acute-care facility with a 12-bed open-heart unit is three days, compared to a four-day length of stay at a 256-bed acute-care facility with a six-bed general surgical unit.
B)The cost of a cardiac catheterization procedure at an acute-care institution specializing in cardiovascular disorders is equal to that of a generalized acute-care institution.
C)A six-bed coronary care unit has 0.2% incidence of infection post cardiac catheterization as compared to a six-bed intensive care unit with a 1.5% infection rate post open-heart surgery.
D)The cost of one day's stay in a private room in a 42-bed medical telemetry unit in a 256-bed acute-care institution is equivalent to that of a 46-bed medical telemetry unit in a 248-bed acute-care institution.

Question 19

Which phrase best fits an organization's mission statement?

A)To develop wellness service clinics in an urban area in the Midwest
B)To promote educational activities related to caring for the sick and injured
C)To build a unit for clients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
D)To expand home care services in the rural area in the Southeast

Question 20

Scanning the environment is part of the planning process. Which of the following is considered part of the external environment?

A)Published reports
B)Interviews from managers
C)Questionnaires from managers and end users
D)Observations of current technology

Question 21

After data have been collected during the internal and external environmental scans, the project implementation team must complete which process before identifying trends in the current operations?

A)Determine technical feasibility
B)Data analysis
C)Assess financial resources
D)Allocate resources

Question 22

Which of the following is most beneficial when the organization decides to purchase a vendor built information system?

A)Weighted scoring tool
B)Internal resources
C)External resources
D)Supportive infrastructure

Question 23

Benchmarking is considered an important component of the strategic planning process. Which of the following statements best represents its purpose?

A)Benchmarking is the continual process of measuring services and practices against the toughest competitors in the health care industry.
B)Benchmarking is the continual process of measuring services and practices against the goals set by the committee.
C)Benchmarking is the continual process of measuring services and practices against the mission of the organization.
D)Benchmarking is the continual process of measuring services and practices against scope of the organization.

Question 24

_______________________ has become widespread throughout the health care industry as a method of continual process of measuring services and practices against the toughest competitors in the health care industry.

Question 25

During the implementation step, the timeline can be developed to facilitate which of the following?

A)Achievement of the mission
B)The completion of all tasks
C)Review of the scope and objectives
D)Define the length of the vendor's availability

Question 26

When does the strategic planning process end?

A)The strategic planning process ends with system implementation.
B)The strategic planning process ends with the review of feedback.
C)The strategic planning process ends with the purchase of the equipment.
D)The strategic planning process ends with the hiring of the IT support staff.

Question 27

During the request for proposal phase of the information system planning process, which of the following would enhance the decision making process?

A)Use of a lottery system
B)Hiring a consultant to make the decision
C)Time off to reflect on decisions
D)Weighted scoring tool

Question 28

The data analysis during strategic planning focuses on which of the following?

A)Compilation of resources
B)Comparing agency and benchmark information
C)Discussion of the timeline
D)Details of the new system

Question 29

After data have been collected during the internal and external environmental scans, the committee's next step is which of the following?

A)Review the budget for a technology line
B)Determine feasibility from technical, financial, time and resource perspectives
C)Write the pros and cons of the proposed upgrades
D)Contact the vendors for price comparisons

Question 30

The benefit of using a weighted scoring tool during the decision making phase of the strategic planning process is which of the following?

A)To employ a quantitative tool that assists in the selection process
B)To allow for a qualitative analysis of collected data
C)To convince committee members of the usability of the system
D)To have proof of the system's functions

Question 31

Which of the following is the very first step in any strategic planning process?

A)Realization of the need for change
B)Review of the mission
C)Gather key stakeholders
D)Assess the budget