Training activity information
Details
Appraise and risk assess a commercially supplied clinical information management system, including plans for disaster recovery (DR) and business continuity (BC)
Type
Developmental training activity (DTA)
Evidence requirements
Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee.
Reflection on the activity at one or more time points after the event including learning from the activity and/or areas of the trainees practice for development.
An action plan to implement learning and/or to address skills or knowledge gaps identified.
Considerations
- Lessons learned
- Guidance for system compliance
- Medical device regulation
- Risk management standards
Reflective practice guidance
The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.
Before action
- What are the key aspects you need to appraise and the specific risks you need to assess?
- What do you already know about appraising clinical information management systems and conducting risk assessments, particularly concerning disaster recovery and business continuity?
- What specific insights do you hope to gain about evaluating commercial systems and their associated risks?
- What best practice procurement approaches and legal aspects of public sector procurement might be relevant to consider when appraising a commercially supplied system?
- How will you approach the risk management methods associated with this system?
- What methods will you use to appraise the system and conduct the risk assessment? Discuss your planned approach with your training officer.
- What potential risks related to the system, DR, and BC might you identify, and how will you assess their impact and likelihood?
- How do you feel about undertaking this appraisal and risk assessment?
- What documentation or information about the system, DR, and BC plans do you need to review before starting the appraisal and risk assessment?
In action
- What aspects of the system and its DR/BC plans are you currently examining?
- How are you approaching the appraisal (e.g., reviewing documentation, interviewing stakeholders)? Why are you using these methods?
- What decisions are you making about which areas to focus on or how to categorise potential risks as you proceed?
- What parts of the appraisal and risk assessment process feel familiar, and what areas require more research or critical thinking?
- How is your appraisal and risk assessment progressing in terms of understanding the system’s suitability and managing associated risks?
- How effective are your current methods in identifying potential weaknesses and vulnerabilities?
- What challenges are you facing in obtaining necessary information or evaluating the adequacy of the DR/BC plans?
- What insights are you gaining about appraising commercial systems and assessing their risks as you conduct this activity?
- How does this appraisal connect with your understanding of procurement processes and risk management frameworks?
- How are you adapting your appraisal and risk assessment based on the information you uncover?
- Are there alternative evaluation techniques you should be considering?
- Do you need to seek further information or clarification from the supplier or internal stakeholders?
- Are you ensuring that your appraisal and risk assessment are conducted objectively and within the scope of the training activity?
On action
- Summarise the key aspects of your appraisal and risk assessment of the commercially supplied clinical information management system. What were the main strengths and weaknesses you identified? What were the key risks associated with the system? What did you notice about the included plans for disaster recovery (DR) and business continuity (BC)?
- What did you learn about appraising and risk assessing commercial clinical information management systems? What did you learn about the critical elements of disaster recovery and business continuity plans in a healthcare IT context? Were there any unexpected risks or appraisal points that you identified? What did you learn from these? How did your in-the-moment evaluation (reflect-in-action) influence your risk assessment and appraisal? How does thorough appraisal and risk assessment contribute to the safe and effective use of clinical information systems?
- What areas for continued development in system appraisal and risk assessment have you identified? How can you apply the knowledge gained from this activity to future evaluations of clinical information systems? What actions or ‘next steps’ will you take to further develop your skills in this area, such as learning more about risk management frameworks or DR/BC planning best practices? What support or resources might be beneficial for this development?
Beyond action
- Considering your current understanding of clinical information management systems, procurement processes, and risk management methodologies, how would you refine your appraisal and risk assessment? Have you been involved in other system appraisals or risk assessments since this training activity? How did this initial experience inform your later evaluations? Did discussions with procurement specialists or IT security personnel provide additional insights into appraising and risk assessing commercial systems? Revisit your reflect-on-action notes for this training activity. Has your understanding of disaster recovery and business continuity planning deepened?
- Has this exercise improved your ability to critically appraise a systems design/development plan? How has it contributed to your understanding of the importance of considering DR and BC plans when evaluating clinical information management systems? Has this training activity enhanced your awareness of the risks associated with systems development and procurement? Has it influenced how you think about best practice procurement approaches?
- What analytical, critical appraisal, and risk assessment skills did you develop through this training activity that will be valuable in future system procurement or upgrade projects? What further learning will you undertake to enhance your knowledge of clinical information management systems, procurement law, and risk management frameworks? How will your ability to appraise and risk assess commercial systems contribute to informed decision-making in the selection and implementation of technology in healthcare in your future career?
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 2 |
Outcome
Critically appraise a systems design/development plan to determine suitability of existing services. |