The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) has released resource for health IT stakeholders to use as a way to evaluate their IT investments.
The resource, deemed by HIMSS, the Health IT Value Suite aims to quantify and discuss the impact and value of information technology. The organization used its collection of case studies to serve as a collection of data/evidence of health IT value. The resource looks at their IT investments, specifically in regards to how it improves clinical, business and financial performance. The organization places health IT value into five categories, calling it “Health IT Value STEPS.” Those steps are:
- Satisfaction (Patient; Provider; Staff; Other)
- Treatment/Clinical (Safety; Quality of Care; Efficiency)
- Electronic information / Data (Evidence Based Medicine; Data Sharing and Reporting)
- Prevention and Patient Education(Prevention; Patient Education)
- Savings (Financial / Business; Efficiency Savings; Operational Savings)
“For the past decade, providers, payers, and other healthcare stakeholders have moved rapidly to implement strategic IT solutions across the organization,” stated Carla Smith, executive vice president of HIMSS, said during a press conference in Washington, D.C. “The end game for all players across the healthcare landscape is better and safer care, with more accountability, while keeping costs in check. These are critical goals that impact every American.
“As healthcare providers continue to implement IT solutions, it is increasingly critical to be able to evaluate technology’s real impact. Pinpointing the clinical and financial impact of health IT investments is complex. That’s why we’re introducing the Health IT Value Suite,” she added.
