PhD Project: Implementation of an a national electronic health record in the specialised sett

About 

• My research focuses on the implementation of a national Electronic Health Record (EHR) in the maternity services in Ireland and in particular in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). EHR implementation is complex in the hospital setting but is necessary to update modern healthcare. I have looked at the implementation of a single national EHR from the perspective of the Maternal and Newborn – Clinical Management System (MN-CMS) and explored the lessons learned. Workflow development is of critical importance in EHR development and implementation. I have used implementation science frameworks to assess workflow development and have analysed some MN-CMS workflows. I have measured everyday workflows based on activities and tasks of users within the EHR to measure efficiencies and promote more accurate data capture. My studies have looked at measuring daily workflows and activities in the EHR of nurses and doctors in the NICU following an upgraded patient summary page. I also have examined data quality of newborn feeding in the EHR and implemented changes to enhance the process of data capture. Improving the feasibility of processes within the EHR can promote more enhanced data quality and accuracy. EHRs contain vast amounts of data that can positively impact patient care.

   

   

People 

• Dr. Orla Sheehan, PhD candidate. NPEC & University College Cork
• Prof Richard A Greene, NPEC & University College Cork
• Dr Brendan Murphy, University Hospital Waterford & University College Cork
• Dr Paul Corcoran, NPEC & University College Cork
• Dr Joye McKernan, NPEC & University College Cork

Publications 

• Sheehan OM, Greene RA, McKernan J, Murphy B, Cahill C, Cleary B, Lawlor F, Robson M; MN-CMS National Project Team. Introduction of a Single Electronic Health Record for Maternity Units in Ireland: Outline of the Experiences of the Project Management Team. JMIR Form Res. 2023 May 12;7:e38938. doi: 10.2196/38938. PMID: 37171841; PMCID: PMC10221488.
• Sheehan O, Murphy B, Corcoran P, McKernan J, and Greene RA. Complex health care changes: can implementation science help? MIDIRS Digest. June 2023. 33 (3) pp118-121
• Sheehan OM, Greene RA, Corcoran P, McKernan J, and Murphy B. Impact of an Upgraded Patient Summary Page: Measuring Workflow Compliance in a Neonatal Electronic Health Record. Journal of Informatics Nursing. December 2023. 

Meet Orla

Orla serves as the National NICU Workstream Lead for the Maternal and Newborn – Clinical Management System (MN-CMS) in Ireland, where she provides invaluable clinical leadership for the design and implementation of MN-CMS across all Neonatal Units in the country. 

Orla is currently pursuing her PhD in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the College of Medicine and Health, University College Cork, in collaboration with NPEC. Her research is centered around the implementation of a national electronic health record (EHR) for mothers and their newborns. Specifically, she focuses on workflow development, measurement, and enhancement to streamline processes and enhance data quality within the EHR. Orla's passion lies in Implementation Science, which serves as the framework for implementing EHR workflow processes and devising strategies for their successful integration.  

Orla's firsthand extensive clinical experience underscores her deep understanding of the intricacies of neonatal and pediatric care. Orla is driven by her passion for digital health and her unwavering belief in the importance of accurate health information for all healthcare professionals. She firmly believes that the foundation of accurate health data begins with optimally designed software and appropriate workflows for healthcare staff. 

For more information about the project, please contact orla.sheehan1@hse.ie.

Or follow Orla on twitter / x: @Orla_Lola