Stakeholders
Medical accounts are the bedrock to the healthcare profession; however records maintenance is a challenge to various users of a healthcare system. Medical records are often misplaced or inaccurate, thus requiring a system which increases efficiency while lowering costs. Developing a system that will be able to capture and store data from an emergency transport vehicle or remote monitor is fundamental. To develop the system, it is necessary to investigate the requirements
There are different types of stakeholders involved in investigating system requirements. Stakeholders are those who have an interest in seeing the implementation of a system is successful. The three primary groups of interested parties include users, clients, and staff . Users are the people who interact with the system and have a significant interest in its successful operation. Clients are the people who pay for the system thereby being a source of funding for developing a system. Staffs are persons who interact with the system as their work. Mental Health Care Patient Management System (MHCPS) stakeholders include medical staff, clinical workers receptionists, managers and clients.
The various methods used in gathering information include distributing questionnaires, interviewing users, reviewing existing documentation, observing business procedures and researching from similar systems. I would formulate queries focusing on what the clinics do, how they do it and the information they use to perform the activities. Conducting interviews and discussions with users would enable me to get firsthand information on what and how they require the system to function. Reviewing documents and procedure descriptions within the clinics will inform me on how previous systems have been operating. Observing business processes would involve walking through to doing actual tasks. Since many concerns have been solved by other organization researching companies with similar systems for solutions would be a key data collection method.
System requirements include the activities that a system must undertake or support and the constraints it encounters. System requirements are categorized into two functional and non-functional. Functional requirements are activities that a system must carry out that are based on procedures and system requirements. Non-functional requirements describe how the system should perform its functions they include needs such as reliability, efficiency, security, usability and technical .
The modeled system should be compatible with various operating systems. It should be easy to use with most users not needing assistance in using the system. It should enable bidirectional communication between the actor and the data source. The system should provide confidentiality of information and security of operation.
Understanding the new systems constraints, procedures and functions plays a key role in the developing of requirements and model for the new system. It also helps in prioritizing requirements. Prioritizing of requirements is necessary since resources are always limited. I need to carefully weigh priorities because the scope of system requirements tends to expand as stakeholders make more suggestions. Prioritizing helps in determining composition, number, and ordering of project iterations.
It is important to investigate system requirements to ensure various organizational needs are satisfied, and objectives are achieved. It also provides alternative solutions to various problems are delivered. Analyzing system requirements promote communication, ensure customer needs are satisfied and reduce the risks of failure of a project. The process of investigating system requirements enables the participation stakeholder throughout the project lifecycle.
Techniques for obtaining information
Functional requirements entail the activities of a system. The activities may be in the form of services, functions or tasks the system has to do . The new system will provide access to complete medical data. The system needs to have functions that ensure MHCPS medical staffs have timely information to facilitate treatment of patients. The system will generate reminders and alerts including appointment dates, a schedule for taking medication and their health care provider. It will facilitate communication and collaboration between all providers involved in a client’s care. The system will allow clients contact their healthcare providers any time they have a concern. The system should update, retrieve and store data from various input locations including electronic monitoring equipment, hospital work place, and emergency vehicle systems .
The system should be easy to use such that majority of the users will be able to complete various tasks without needing assistance and are satisfied with its usability. The system needs to be prompt in responding to requests and accepting data items. It should provide guidelines for fixing errors and should generate reminders .The language the system uses should be familiar to the user rather than system-oriented terminologies.
The system should have the ability to function normally without risking lives or the environment. The system should have added control features to avoid hazards. It should also have firewalls to control the damage as well as other protective reactions to results. The system should have scans that prevent, detect and remove hazards .
Privacy of personal health data is essential; therefore the system will have to comply with strong user requirements. It will also need to abide by strict national rules concerning access to patient’s data. The Data Protection Act mandates confidentiality of personal information. In modeling the system, the regulations put in place must be considered and adapted to interface with the new system structure .
The system should be designed in ways that reduce the lifecycle cost of the entire system. The system should be designed to minimize costs from the initial release as well as in the enhancing of future models . Investigating system requirements helps in identifying the possible defects thus reducing the costs incurred in the management of the system. The aim should be to develop an efficient system while minimizing costs.
Conclusion:
Investigating the system requirements enables the analyst to identify the various functional and non-functional needs; the stakeholders involved and grasp the general view of the project. The process helps in identifying stakeholder needs and problems that need to be resolved
References:
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