Strategic Value of Enterprise Information in Healthcare Settings
Enterprise information systems in healthcare settings provide strategic value by enabling improved clinical outcomes, enhancing operational efficiency, and supporting data-driven decision-making that ultimately improves patient care quality and reduces costs. 1
Key Strategic Values of Enterprise Information
1. Improved Clinical Decision Making and Patient Outcomes
- Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS): When implemented effectively, CDSS can reduce unwarranted variation in care processes, potentially decreasing inappropriate use of healthcare resources without compromising patient outcomes 1
- Performance Measurement: Enterprise information systems enable detailed tracking of clinical outcomes and performance metrics, allowing for continuous quality improvement 1
- Risk-Adjusted Outcomes Data: Clinical registries and enterprise systems provide risk-adjusted outcomes data that can be used for high-stakes applications such as public reporting, preferred provider networks, and reimbursement 1
2. Operational Efficiency and Cost Reduction
- Physician Profiling: Enterprise information systems allow for detailed physician profiling, which can drive changes in practice patterns across various healthcare settings 1
- Resource Optimization: By providing detailed data on resource utilization, enterprise systems help identify areas where costs can be reduced without compromising care quality 1
- Workflow Improvement: Information systems can identify inefficiencies in clinical workflows and support process redesign to improve operational performance 1
3. Data Integration and Interoperability
- Health Information Exchange (HIE): Enterprise HIE capabilities allow for information sharing across different parts of a health system, though evidence suggests that single-vendor EHR environments may be more effective at reducing readmissions (0.8% reduction) compared to enterprise HIE approaches 2
- Data Linkages: The value of clinical registries can be enhanced through linkages with other data sources, such as claims data, providing information on long-term outcomes, resource use, rehospitalizations, and reinterventions 1
4. Patient Engagement and Experience
- Patient Portals: Enterprise systems support patient portals that facilitate engagement with electronic medical records, though implementation requires careful consideration of patient preferences and training needs 1
- Communication Enhancement: Portal-based patient-provider communication can improve patient satisfaction, though structured messaging may be needed to ensure relevance and prevent staff from being overwhelmed 1
Implementation Considerations for Maximizing Strategic Value
1. Governance and Investment Strategy
- Technology Governance: Healthcare providers typically spend 1.5-3% of revenues on information technology, requiring strong governance to ensure these investments generate appropriate returns 3
- Business Strategy: Sustainable health information exchange organizations tend to employ focus and cost leadership strategies rather than growth strategies 4
- Strategic Planning: Without proper strategic planning, hospital information systems may fail to fulfill information strategy goals 5
2. Research and Evaluation
- Economic Evaluation: Sustainable investment in enterprise systems requires robust evaluation of their economic impacts compared with current clinical workflows 1
- Reporting Standards: Studies should report interventions in enough detail that they can be replicated, including contextual factors that may influence outcomes 1
- Federal Resources: Given the significant investment required, federal partnerships with health systems could identify priority areas for developing tools that health systems need to deliver high-value care 1
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Lack of User Training: One-size-fits-all approaches to training may not be effective due to varying preferences. Training should address common concerns like information security and workflow changes 1
Ignoring Vulnerable Populations: Patients who are most vulnerable (e.g., those with low health literacy or serious illness) may be least likely to benefit from patient portals and other enterprise information tools 1
Inadequate Reporting of Interventions: Many studies fail to report key factors about enterprise information interventions in sufficient detail for replication, limiting the ability to learn from successful implementations 1
Focus on Interim Outcomes: Most studies assess implementation using interim outcomes such as user perceptions rather than important objective outcomes like length of stay, morbidity, or mortality 1
Insufficient Investment in Research: Despite billions spent on purchasing and implementing EHRs, health systems and vendors have not invested sufficiently in research to maximize their value 1
By addressing these strategic considerations and avoiding common pitfalls, healthcare organizations can maximize the value derived from their enterprise information systems, ultimately improving clinical outcomes, operational efficiency, and patient experience.