J Med Syst
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Information technology (IT) has the potential to be a significant enabler in transforming the health care delivery system. New types of organizations are needed to guide the change. ⋯ Results indicate that the RHIO model is early in its evolution. To be a catalyst of change, the RHIO must overcome privacy barriers, actively engage purchasers of care, and create compelling incentives for clinicians to adopt the RHIOs' services.
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In the current paper, we describe the challenges in measuring return on investment (ROI) and review published ROI studies on health IT. In addition, given the absence of a robust ROI literature base, we review the general benefits and potential costs of various health IT applications including electronic health records (EHRs), computerized physicians order entry (CPOE) systems, and clinical decision support systems (CDSS). ⋯ This trend suggests the early stage of this knowledge base. Additional research utilizing broader perspectives and multidisciplinary techniques will be needed before a better understanding of ROI from health IT is achieved.
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In large hospitals, collaborative clinical practice is currently emphasized, with members of various departments expected to work as a team. The importance of accurate communication among the team members is of utmost importance. To improve such communication, the introduction of mobile voice communication systems has received much attention in Japan. ⋯ The total number of calls was reduced by more than 35%, and the number of calls to the wards on weekdays was reduced by half. Mobile telecommunication systems with small output power, such as PHS, are known to cause little interference with medical devices which makes it possible to use mobile voice communication safely in hospitals. The improvement in communication by this systems resulted in an improvement in labor efficiency.
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The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) was passed by Congress with two formidable tasks: (1) reform the insurance market; and (2) simplify healthcare administrative processes. From these ambitious beginnings, HIPAA has since taken on major healthcare issues including administrative simplification, security, privacy, and patient confidentiality. In November 1997, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (DHHS) introduced the proposed "standards" for what is referred to as "administrative simplification". ⋯ Others question whether the Department of Health and Human Services is capable of spearheading an information technology revolution in the healthcare industry. Unfortunately, it may take several years before the industry is able to realize any true cost savings from administrative simplification. Yet, few can question how HIPAA has revolutionized information technology in the healthcare industry.
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This paper reviews the literature on the use of collaborative technologies by healthcare teams between 1980 and 2003. Multiple databases were searched with explicit inclusion criteria that yielded 17 conceptual and empirical papers. The discussions of these literatures centered on the individual, team, and technological dimensions of collaborative technology use within healthcare teams. ⋯ The limited number of research studies accentuates the need for additional research in this area. Future research should focus on defining team tasks; determining which type of groupware works for a particular health setting; and exploring the effects of groupware on patient care delivery and the organization. Without research in these areas, it will be difficult to harness the full advantages of using groupware technologies by collaborative healthcare teams.