Family health plan limited, India

1)    RESEARCH TOPIC

Research topic study deals with information systems at Family Health Plan (TPA) Ltd (FHPL). FHPL is one of the outstanding pioneering Third Party Administrators (TPA) in Health Insurance sector that specializes in offering quality services to critical groups of health care industry.

2)    PROJECT PROPOSAL

Organizations that greatly depend on information systems and technology to undertake their business operations face numerous challenges, especially to ensure information integrity, availability, and confidentiality. The IT department is responsible for setting up measures and strategies to minimize the vulnerability of the information systems (Management Association, Information Resources, 2013). FHPL in India significantly relies on information technology to ensure the provision of quality health care hence it is essential to implement particular recommendations that assist in achieving the company's objectives. These recommendations greatly aim at enhancing technological developments in the firm. The research proposal proposes a study on the implementation of improvements in the firm based on three dimensions namely operation strategies, technical strategies, and technology. The research findings will assist the company in solving contemporary issues as well as enhance business operations, and quality of services hence offer FHPL a competitive advantage to the company.

3)    AN OVERVIEW OF FAMILY HEALTH PLAN (TPA) LTD (FHPL)

Family Health Plan Limited in India is among the best TPA in Health Insurance SECTOR.  The firm got licensed by Insurance Regulatory Development Authority (IRDA) of India.  FHPL also prides itself to be the first IRDA licensed TPA to get ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certificate (Family Health Plan Limited). The health care insurance firm specializes in giving quality assistance to crucial groups of the health care industry such as Insurance companies, insured individuals (Policyholders)) and medical facilities (healthcare service providers). It also acts as a nodal agency between the core groups of health care industry. The vision of FHPL is to incorporate technology and experience to make the firm a reliable TPA in India that provides world class medical insurance claims services. As a TPA, the company facilitates cashless hospitalization at pre-listed health care providers that include hospitals, diagnostic centers, clinics, as well as nursing homes. The firm connects the crucial groups of the health sector to a platform that allows smooth process and enhances the security of the insurance policies. It ensures quick and easy reimbursement claims as a part of its services. FHPL ensures that health care facilities provide quality care and also bridges the gap between the providers for rendering the right service, at the right time, to the right person, at a right price. The firm supports payer entity in claims management to give an end to end quality health insurance processing of claims.

FHPL Company has 21 operational offices along with the corporate office located in Hyderabad. It has a members list that is approximately close to 7 million. FHPL has a network of connectivity with 3200 hospital facilities and 250 diagnostic centers that are widespread in India so as to enhance accessibility.

4)    RECOMMENDATIONS

The three proposals that aim at improving the services at FHPL get described below;

Operational strategies

i.            Enhance effective communication in the business. Inadequate communication gets caused by the lack of understanding of clients, businesses and other requirements needed for the project.

ii.            Develop software that handles market pressure so as to meet the ever-changing market trends

Implementation

i.            Training of employees on the importance of effective communication

ii.            Enhancing communication channels so to allow for the quick transmission of information within the organization.

iii.            Incorporate all departments including IT department and marketing to develop software that meets the specific business needs identified in collaborations with different stakeholders including end-users, employees, partners, software developers, etc.

iv.            Enhance effective communication between all positions within the organizational structure such as top down that is managers to subordinates and vice versa.

Technical strategies

i.            Improving the security of data against the potential threats and attacks that are on the Internet.

ii.            Understanding the technical requirements of business concerning programming languages, the frameworks, the systems, and algorithms.

Implementation

i.            Implementing countermeasures against the various data threats such as using antivirus, strong passwords and intrusion detection measures against viruses, hacking and identity theft

ii.            Training employees concerning reverse engineering so as to enhance data security in the business

iii.            Developing web-based information systems in such a way that they operate efficiently on all available browsers and devices.

Technology

i.            Enhancing service delivery and implementing a successful patient care information system is critical to the healthcare insurance company.

ii.            Enhancing data integration and sharing among departments, employees, and internal and external stakeholders. Data integration and sharing are a significant aspect in the success of a business and efficiency (On, Bennett & Whittaker, 2012).

iii.            Protecting data against loss

Implementation

i.            Maintaining and keeping the system and network up-to-date.

ii.            Ensuring data integration and dissemination (visual analytics)

iii.            Updating and purchasing of current information systems infrastructure that allows the business to compete effectively in the industry.

5)    IMPORTANCE OF THE PROJECT

The project describes the approaches taken to solve concerns and challenges faced by firms such as FPHL that rely heavily on information systems to undertake their daily operations and offer services. The paper suggests three approaches namely technological, operational strategies and technical strategies to resolve the challenges and issues. This project will assist the company in improving certain aspects. The recommendations are significantly essential to information systems in today’s rapidly changing, extremely competitive and global environment. The managers in the organization should be in the front line in implementing the recommendations so as it ensure their success in the company (Laudon & Laudon, 2004). The section below provides the projections and benefits that the project offers on the FPHL Company based on the recommendations provided.

6)    PROJECTIONS AND BENEFITS

The recommendations will provide the following benefits to FHPL;

Ø  Provide improved productivity and efficiency in the delivery of services in the company.

Ø  Effective communication allows for well-informed decision making as well as employee motivation as they can air their issues with the managers.

Ø  Patient care information system is critical in supporting the critical support systems and ensures an optimal fit between the primary care processes and the secondary work processes that manage, support, study or control it.

Ø  Data security plays a significant role in ensuring data confidentiality, data availability, and data integrity. These dimensions are essential to protecting and preserving data in business. Allaert (2002) states that data security is essential in health care organizations and should highly get put into consideration. The aspect also prevents criminal activities perpetrated after the online acquisition of personal information. 

Ø  By identifying the most pressing technical needs of business allows the business to set strategic and techniques necessary to achieve its defined objectives.

Ø  Developing new systems and acquiring new system infrastructure minimizes the risk of system or hardware failure and errors hence little or no systems downtime.

Ø  Training of personnel increases their capability to handle issues in the business as well as enhances their productivity and efficiency.

Ø  The provision of web-based information systems that operate efficiently on all browsers and devices increases accessibility of information about FHPL.

References

Allaert, F. A. (2002). Security standards for healthcare information systems: a perspective from the EU ISIS MEDSEC Project (Vol. 69). IOS Press.

Family Health Plan Limited Retrieved on March 31st from https://www.fhpl.net/about-us.html

Laudon, K. C., & Laudon, J. P. (2004). Management information systems: managing the digital firm. New Jersey, 8.

Management Association, Information Resources, 2013 Crisis Management: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications; IGI Global

On, M. L., Bennett, V., & Whittaker, M. (2012). Issues and challenges for health information systems in the Pacific. Journal of Community Health and Clinical Medicine for the Pacific, 18(1), 20-23.

Sherry Roberts is the author of this paper. A senior editor at MeldaResearch.Com in non plagiarized research papers if you need a similar paper you can place your order for best custom essay site.