Complex Healthcare Systems and Information Technology (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9783836424899)

The benefits of information systems to enable improvement in core hospital processes have been researched extensively. Information systems alert users of potential medical errors, streamline processes, and support clinical decision-making. Although promising, the value of information systems to enable improved clinical quality and reduce costs has been mixed. Given the significant financial and social costs to implement clinical information sys-tems, predicting their impact on performance outcomes is crucial. Unfortu-na-tely, predicting the impact of clinical information systems is difficult because hospitals are considered "complex systems". A complex system is characterized by nonlinear interactive components, emergent phenomena, continuous and discontinuous change, and unpredictable outcomes. This book utilizes a novel approach to computational modeling by simulating the impact of best practices guidelines on performance metrics. The results provide a robust and low cost method for predicting what conditions need to exist for a successful implementation. This book is directed towards healthcare administrators, informaticists, nurses, physicans and other medical professionals.

Author: Thomas R. Clancy
ISBN-10: 3836424894
ISBN-13: 9783836424899
Publisher: VDM Verlag Dr. Mueller E.K.
Language: English
Published: 03/04/2008
Pages: 144
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.53lbs
Size: 9.61h x 6.69w x 0.31d