Healthcare takes a considerable portion of the GDP of countries around the world. Most of the expenditure can be attributed to inefficiencies in everything from writing prescriptions to performing tests and examinations repeatedly for the same condition. Governments are mandating the implementation of health information technology (IT) in order to overcome these inefficiencies, but the technology can be mismanaged if it is not applied properly.
Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), a cause-based not-for-profit organization focused on better health care through information technology, has introduced the Health IT Value Suite to give help providers, policymakers, payers and other stakeholders information for evaluating the success of their IT investments. Established in 1961, HIMSS is a worldwide organization producing health IT leadership, education, market research and other services. It has more than 52,000 people working in healthcare, government and not-for-profit organizations, along with 600 corporations with the goal of moving the healthcare industry forward with technology.
The HIMSS Suite is designed to classify, quantify and articulate the clinical, financial and business impact of investing IT in healthcare. As governments introduce more mandates for regulations in the healthcare industry, technology can be used to provide accountable services by admitting a patient to the facility to administrating medication. By keeping track of the actions taken by healthcare providers with mobile devices and other IT technology, information can be analyzed to improve services and implement more efficient methodologies for doing everything.
“For the past decade, providers, payers and other healthcare stakeholders have moved rapidly to implement strategic IT solutions across the organization. As healthcare providers continue to implement IT solutions, it is increasingly critical to be able to evaluate technology’s real impact," said Carla Smith, executive vice president of HIMSS.
Organizations that are able to accurately evaluate the effect of IT can better pinpoint the clinical and financial impact it has overall. The process is complex, and a comprehensive tool capable of addressing the entire operation of the organization must be used.
The Health IT Value Suite provides examples for evaluating how information technology is affecting the organization by creating taxonomy and framework that quantifies and discusses the impact of IT implementation. Decision makers and other stakeholders will have data available for evaluating the success of the investment and make decisions based on actionable data. The goal is to provide high-quality healthcare while ensuring safety at affordable rates.
Edited by
Melissa Warten
