Objective: To develop a web server to help reduce phone call time for Doctors, N
ID: 3851959 • Letter: O
Question
Objective: To develop a web server to help reduce phone call time for Doctors, Nurses and Administrative Personnel and to increase patient satisfaction by providing easier access to standard information.
The Cardiologist Group has hired you to develop Systems Requirements for a proposed web site that will perform the functions described above, including providing patients with the ability to schedule their own appointments. Patients will access the module by using their Social Security Number (SSN), which means that you need to access a database that has patient information including SSN and insurance information. First, the firm wants you to check to see if the patient has paid all his bills. If so, the patient can proceed, otherwise the patient should be given a message to call the billing department. Second, if the patient has insurance, a screen should appear presenting him with the insurance policy information and to ask the patient to verify it. If it is not verified, the patient should be asked to call the billing department. If the patient has no insurance, a screen should appear asking the patient how the bill will be paid. This verification or indication of payment method should be recorded in a database. If verification or indication is provided, the patient should be presented with a screen asking what type of procedure (stress test, EKG, ultra-sound, consult with doctor, etc. – database with procedures) they are scheduling. After the patient selects one, a screen should present a calendar with open dates and times for a specified appointment (calendar database). Once the patient selects a time, a screen should appear asking the patient to verify the selected date and time, and to provide a phone number where they can be reached in case the appointment is cancelled or to remind the patient the day before the scheduled appointment. When the patient accepts the appointment and the transaction is recorded in the database.
1. Write a Systems Requirements Document
Use the Requirements Template to write your document.
Include all the key elements and functions of the web site. While the template suggests categories that you need to fill in or change, you do not have to use every one of them. (Delete the categories you will not use.) Be sure to use function numbers based upon the “Traceability” procedures specified in the document. Begin your own “Revisions Table”. If you use the template, the Table of Contents and other WORD tables will update automatically as you add or delete categories that are named and formatted similarly. Otherwise, include a Table of Contents that you develop. Use short, simple sentences to describe the function. This is a not a novel!
Mostly, make sure that the requirements you write make sense. Someone should be able to read them, understand what the web site will do. A web site developer should be able to create the web site based upon your document without needing to ask questions.
Your requirements document should include the following diagrams and flow charts (see Chapter 5 in your textbook for examples) to describe the web appointment module:
Context Diagram for the Web appointment module
Data Flow Diagram for module
Process Flow Diagram
Decide what databases you need to support the transaction and draw them in your diagrams. Use PowerPoint for the diagrams. While you don’t have to use exactly the same symbols as the text book, you need to be consistent and indicate what symbol you are using for what purpose.
Using This Template
This and other PDM tools are available. All Sections are required to be addressed, however if a section or subsection is not needed, that section/subsection of the document can be marked as Not Applicable but as explanation must be provided as to why it does not apply. Please also reference the Lessons Learned section in the Appendix for additional information that may assist.
To create a deliverable from this template:
Delete the template title page (previous page) and this page.
Replace [bracketed text] on the cover page (next page) with your project and agency information.
Replace [bracketed text] in the tool header area at the top of Page i (Contents page) with the same project and agency information as on the cover page.
Note: Please do not remove or modify content in the footer area.
Complete the entire template. Each section contains abbreviated instructions, shown in italics, and a content area. The content area is marked with a placeholder symbol () or with a table. Relevant text from other project deliverable may be pasted into content areas.
Note: Please do not remove the italicized instructions.
Update the table of contents by right-clicking and selecting “Update Field,” then “Update entire table.”
Template Revision History
Version
Date
Name
Description
1.0
2/5/2012
PDM Project team
Initial Creation
2.0
6/28/2012
Reformatted document template; Renamed template to System Requirements. Added Initial Technical Architecture Specifications
2.1
1/14/2013
Revised system requirements instructions section
2.1
5/17/2013
Correct typos
Project Delivery Methodology (PDM)
System Requirements
[Functional Office(s) Name]
[PROJECT NAME]
VERSION: [Version Number] REVISION DATE: [Date]
Approval of the System Requirements indicates an understanding of the purpose and content described in this deliverable. By signing this deliverable, each individual agrees with the content contained in this deliverable.
Approver Name
Contents
Section 1 Purpose. 3
Section 2 General System Requirements. 3
2.1 Major System Capabilities. 3
2.2 Major System Conditions. 3
2.3 System Interfaces. 3
2.4 System User Characteristics. 3
Section 3 Policy and Regulation Requirements. 4
3.1 Policy Requirements. 4
3.2 Regulation Requirements. 4
Section 4 Security Requirements. 4
Section 5 Training Requirements. 4
Section 6 Initial Capacity Requirements. 4
Section 7 Initial System Architecture. 5
Section 8 System Acceptance Criteria. 5
Section 9 Current System Analysis. 5
Section 10 References. 6
Section 11 Glossary. 6
Section 12 Document Revision History. 6
Section 13 Appendices. 6
Section 1 Purpose
The purpose of the System Requirements document is to specify the overall system requirements that will govern the development and implementation of the system. The document will also establish initial security, training, capacity and system architecture requirements, as well as, system acceptance criteria agreed upon be the project sponsor and key stakeholders.
Section 2 General System Requirements
2.1 Major System Capabilities
Specify the major system capabilities in terms of availability, target deployment environment(s), device accessibility, and/or technical capability.
For example:
System must be available on the Internet
System must be available 24 hours per day
System must be accessible by mobile devices
System must be able to accept electronic payments
2.2 Major System Conditions
Specify major system assumptions and/or constraints (aka conditions). The conditions may limit the options available to the designer/developer. For example:
- System must use the FDOT Enterprise GIS Framework
- System must use FDOT Enterprise Document Management System
- System must interface with Bank of America credit card payment system
2.3 System Interfaces
Describe the dependency and relationship requirements of the system to other enterprise/external systems. Include any interface to a future system or one under development. For clarity, a graphical representation of the interfaces should be used when appropriate.
2.4 System User Characteristics
Identify each type of user of the system by function, location, and type of device. Specify the number of users in each group and the nature of their use of the system.
Section 3 Policy and Regulation Requirements
Specify relevant applicable laws, regulations, policies, and standards that will affect the operation and performance of the system, as well as any relevant external regulatory requirements, or constraints imposed by normal business practices.
3.1 Policy Requirements
3.2 Regulation Requirements
Section 4 Security Requirements
Specify security requirement for users of the system.
Section 5 Training Requirements
Specify Training requirements for the system.
Section 6 Initial Capacity Requirements
Specify the initial capacity requirements for the system. An initial estimation can be established using current data amounts, planned number of users, and estimated number of transactions.
Identifies the highest and lowest estimated number of transactions and processing frequency expected usage (including any seasonal peaks) for capacity planning for storage and memory requirements for the application or project. Identifies the highest and lowest estimated number of transactions and processing frequency expected usage (including any seasonal peaks) for capacity planning for storage and memory requirements for the application or project.
Section 7 Initial System Architecture
Specify the data platform, hardware, software, programming languages, tools and operating system requirements for the application or project.
Identify any specialized hardware requirements that must be purchased or upgraded prior to development, or in support of the implementation, of the application or project.
Identify any specialized software requirements that must be purchased or upgraded prior to development, or in support of the implementation, of the application or project.
Identify any programming languages and tools selected for the development of the application or project.
Identify any network/operating system or combination of network/operating systems that will be used for the development of the application of project.
Section 8 System Acceptance Criteria
Specify the general system acceptance criteria specified and agreed upon by the project sponsor and key stakeholders that will be used to accept the final end product. For example:
New system must run in parallel with current production system for x months
3 years of data must be in system (conversion implied) on day one
Section 9 Current System Analysis
If a current system exists, perform analysis on the system and describe how the current system is used by the business. Specify data conversion requirements, relevant data flows, system interfaces to existing systems, reporting capability, etc.
Section 10 References
Provide a list of all documents and other sources of information referenced in this document and utilized in its development. Include for each the document number, title, date, and responsible office/author.
Document No.
Document Title
Date
Author
Section 11 Glossary
Define of all terms and acronyms required to properly interpret the requirements contained within this document.
Section 12 Document Revision History
Identify revisions to the document starting with initial creation. This section should be updated when an approval is required (i.e. initial creation, change request, new mandated change, etc)
Version
Date
Name
Description
Section 13 Appendices
Include any relevant appendices.
Version
Date
Name
Description
1.0
2/5/2012
PDM Project team
Initial Creation
2.0
6/28/2012
Reformatted document template; Renamed template to System Requirements. Added Initial Technical Architecture Specifications
2.1
1/14/2013
Revised system requirements instructions section
2.1
5/17/2013
Correct typos
Explanation / Answer
Introduction
As the population of the United States continues to grow, so too does the need for healthcare
services and options. According to projections by Alexandria, Va.
-
based ProximityOne, the U.S.
population will increase to 337.1 million by 2020, a 27.7 million
-
p
erson increase from 2010.
This, in turn, will result in a swell in the number of patients seeking care at medical facilities,
hospitals, wellness centers, physicians’ practices and holistic groups.
While patient growth certainly has it benefits, it also c
reates new challenges for facility
administrators and their staff. Processes and procedures that previously were adequate may no
longer be effective in handling a rise in new patients, prompting administrators to seek out
alternatives and new technology an
d techniques to
assist them and their patients.
One process affected almost immediately from an increase in patients is appointment
-
scheduling. A requirement for individual care or to
attend seminars, events and other activities at most
medical, healthcar
e and wellness facilities, this
seemingly simple task can quickly become burdensome
and challenging to staff members. This is especially true
if the facility continues to rely on the most standard
—
and also most inefficient
—
manner of schedulin
g
appointments
: over the phone.
While common in some office settings, scheduling
appointments over the phone is a time
-
and resource
-
draining process that’s also inconvenient for patients, especially in our Web
-
connected society
where more and more individuals prefer t
o conduct common tasks
—
such as scheduling
appointments
—
online instead of picking up the phone and calling them in.
Processes and procedures
that previously were
adequate may no longer be
effective in handling a rise in
new patients, prompting
administrators to
seek out
alternatives and new
technology and techniques
to assist them and their
patients.
Appointment
-
Plus |
The Benefits of Online Appoin
t
ment Scheduling
|
3
Technologic
al advancements like
online scheduling software have made the patient
-
booking
process easier for both administrative staff and pa
tients alike. This white paper detail
s
the
benefits of implementing an online scheduling system, considerations when utilizing it, and
what to look for in
a
provider.
The Benefits
of an Online Scheduling System
Commonly referred to by such names as onlin
e scheduling software, online booking
applications and online scheduler, an online scheduling system is a Web
-
based application that
allows individuals to conveniently and securely book their appointments and reservations
online through any Web
-
connected d
evice, such as a computer, laptop, smartphone or tablet.
They typically access the online scheduling system through a “Book Now” button found on a
Web site or page, or from a URL provided to them by the medial, healthcare or wellness facility.
Once a date
and time are selected, the system will automatically confirm the booking and
instantly record it within the system, w
ithout any staff action needed.
In addition to online scheduling, online scheduling
systems also come equipped with other beneficial
featu
res like automate
d
e
-
mail and text message
reminders, which the system send
s
out to patients and
booked individuals on a specific date prior to their
scheduled appointment; recording and record
-
keeping
capabilities that make it quick and simple to access d
ata
associated with a specific appointment; and repeat patient reminders, which the system sends
out automatically when a specified amount of time ha
s expired between appointments.
The flexibility of online scheduling software enables it to be utilized fo
r a variety of different
services and activities at medical, healthcare and wellness facilities, such as:
Scheduling patient appointments, treatments and services.
Appointment
-
Plus |
The Benefits of Online Appoin
t
ment Scheduling
|
4
Booking vaccine and inoculation clinics, as a flu shots.
Scheduling on
-
site seminars, events
and activities.
The benefits an online scheduling system for both administrative staff and patients and other
booking individuals
include:
Time savings.
Staff spends less time on the phone booking and
managing appointments, thereby freeing up their
schedule for more important and pressing tasks.
Booking individuals also save time, as they no longer
have to commit a part of their bus
y schedule to calling
their medical, healthcare or wellness provider (or
remain on hold, which adds minutes to the scheduling
process).
As an example, let’s look at a large medical facility
that typically schedules approximately 100
appointments daily. Ea
ch appointment call is fielded
by an administrative support staffer, who spends an
average of four minutes on the phone. This equates to
an average of 400 minutes
—
or almost seven hours
—
of time spend each day just to booki
ng appointments over the phone.
Th
at’s time savings just from scheduling appointments alone. Other tasks automated by an
online scheduling system, such as automated appointment reminders, add additional time
savings to daily operations.
As an example, let’s look at a
large medical facility that
typically
schedules approximately
100 appointments daily.
Each
appointment call is fielded by an
administrative support staffer,
who spends
an average of four
minutes on the p
hone.
This
equates to an average of
400
minutes
—
or almost seven
hours
—
of time spend each day
just to booking appointments
over the phone.
Appointment
-
Plus |
The Benefits of Online Appoin
t
ment Scheduling
|
5
Monetary savings.
The time savings experienced by a
facility can translate into monetary savings, as both staff
time and services translate into expenses and revenue, respectively. As staff resources can now
be directed at other tasks, a scheduling system can eliminate the need for a staff member to
work o
vertime or for management to hire new staff members to handle the work overload
created by the appointment
-
scheduling process. In the latter scenario, the savings could be
quite significant, as an average yearly salary of a medical office administrative as
sistant is
$36
,000 (according to Indeed.com).
Additionally, the aforementioned automated appointment reminders can also create monetary
savings by reducing the number of “no
-
shows” who fail to make their scheduled appointments.
Surveys have shown that the
se types of reminders can decre
ase this number by 50 percent.
Let’s assume that the value of a single appointment at a medical facility is $175 dollars, and that
facility averages five “no
-
shows” each day. This equals $875 in lost daily revenue. Now, if
the
number of “no
-
shows” was reduced by half by utilizing online appointment reminders, the
facility would save around
$437 each day in lost revenue.
24
-
Hour Convenience.
Scheduling appointments over the phone usually requires an individual to phone in d
uring
office hours, as few facilities offer round
-
the
-
clock phone
booking. This is an inconvenience for most patients, as
they too are working at this time. Additionally, many
individuals prefer to schedule their appointments online
rather than over the ph
one. An online scheduling system
allows for 24
-
hour scheduling, not just during normal
facility or office hours.
Appointment
-
Plus |
The Benefits of Online Appoin
t
ment Scheduling
|
6
Considerations
While the actual implementation of an online scheduling system is typically seamless and
relatively simple, there are conside
rations that medical, healthcare and wellness facilities
should keep in mind when transitioning to Web
-
based booking. They include:
Optional or required?
One question administrators should answer is whether or not to
make
online scheduling a requirement. Requiring that all appointments be made online can certainly
free up staff responsibilities and schedules, but it can also be a hindrance to those without easy
access to the Internet or who prefer to schedule their ap
pointments over the phone. Many
facilities give their patients and clients the option of booking online, which
typically brings good
results.
Patient demographic.
This could have an effect on the success of an online scheduling system
whose goal is to pro
vide online scheduling. Facilities, centers and practices with younger
patients and clients may have an easy transition, as this group is
typically Internet savvy and actually prefer to schedule
appointments online. On the other end of the spectrum are sit
es
with a large number of senior patients and clients. Although the
initial determination may be that this group would not have an
interest in scheduling online, a Pew Research Center Internet and
American Life Project survey shows that social networking a
mong
Internet users ages 50
-
64 grew 88 percent
—
from 25 percent to 47
percent
—
from April 2009 to May 2010, while use among those ages
65 and older grew 100 percent from 13 percent to 26 percent
during that same period. However, there still exists a signific
ant
percentage in this group that may not be comfortable scheduling
online, which should be a consideration when determining how to
Internet users ages 50
-
64
grew 88 percent
—
from
25 percent to 47
percent
—
from April 2009
to May 2010, while use
among those
ages 65 and
older grew 100 percent
from 13 percent to 26
percent during that same
period.
Appointment
-
Plus |
The Benefits of Online Appoin
t
ment Scheduling
|
7
best utilize a scheduling system (such as whether or not to require online appointments from
patients). Case in point, a Pew
Internet survey showed that, as of January 2009, 38 percent of
U.S. adults age 65 and older go online, a much lower rate of Internet adoption than the general
population percentage of 74 perce
nt.
HIPAA compliance.
Given the online interaction and transfe
r of information between a facility
and its patients, compliance of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
provisions is an important consideration when utilizing an online scheduling system. While
dependent on technology, overall comp
liance also stems from the actual practices and
procedures of a healthcare, medical or wellness facility. On the
technology side, the scheduling system selected should include
security and privacy policies that comply with HIPAA standards,
such as encryption (SSL); system
-
user identifiers, such as l
ogins
and passwords; multiple user access levels; high
-
end physical
server security; nightly backups; strong privacy policies; and
timed log outs. On the operational procedures end, the facility
should have strong internal policies regarding patient and
c
ustomer information. In essence, the software itself should
give the facility the ability to be HIPAA
-
compliant and provide it
with the ability to adjust settings and preferences to ens
ure that
this data is secured.
What to Look For in a Provider
A variet
y of online scheduling applications are available on the market today. However, they
vary greatly in the types of features, functionality and services offered. Due diligence and
research should be conducted when selecting an appointment scheduling software
provider,
given the important role in could play in the operations of healthcare, medical or wellness
facility.
Common considerations include:
Due diligence and research
should be conducted when
selecting an appointment
scheduling software
provider, given the
important role in could
play in the operations of
healthcare, medical or
wellness facili
ty.
Appointment
-
Plus |
The Benefits of Online Appoin
t
ment Scheduling
|
8
Features and functionality.
Although some features and functionality come standard with
some scheduling system
s, they can vary widely among the many service providers. A current
analysis of both current and future needs can help facilities in the selection process. Creating a
specified workflow typically requires the most time in the analysis process, and a provid
er
should utilize the services of a team of specialists experienced with multiple varia
tions of
scheduling processes.
Professional services.
Medical, healthcare and wellness facilities oftentimes have unique
scheduling needs that stretch beyond the standa
rd functionality of the system, as stated in the
above. This is especially true of facilities with multiple locations, large numbers of staff and
patients/customers, and a high volume of appointments. Many providers do not offer the
professional services n
ecessary to accommodate these needs. Inquire on what the provider
currently offers and its limitations for custo
mization and advanced services.
Security.
As mentioned in the HIPAA compliance section above, security is a must when it
comes to an online sch
eduling system. Reputable providers
incorporate the latest security measures and practices, such as
secure server databases, data storage and back
-
up procedures,
processes related to failover and federal regulations, as well as
the aforementioned HIPAA
-
com
pliant practices.
Cost.
The cost of an online scheduling system for medical,
healthcare and wellness facilities typically is determined by the
scope of the operations and what the software will be used for. Smaller facilities may require
just a basic set
-
up with a nominal month
ly fee. Larger facilities and centers, however, typically
will require more than just a basic subscription, especially if they utilize professional services, as
mentioned in the above bullet item. Recognizing this, some scheduling providers offer a more
co
st
-
effective monthly package to accommodate the high usage and multiple locations
common with most of these operations. (These costs would otherwise add up quickly if
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