Title: Health information technology performance measures: a lifecycle analysis

Authors: Kai S. Koong; Javier Flores; Jun Sun; Lai C. Liu

Addresses: College of Business Administration, The University of Texas – Pan American, 1201 West University Drive, Edinburg, TX 78539, USA ' College of Business Administration, The University of Texas – Pan American, 1201 West University Drive, Edinburg, TX 78539, USA ' College of Business Administration, The University of Texas – Pan American, 1201 West University Drive, Edinburg, TX 78539, USA ' College of Business Administration, The University of Texas – Pan American, 1201 West University Drive, Edinburg, TX 78539, USA

Abstract: Health information technology can better support healthcare in the USA, optimising data flows. This study examines the performance measures issued by the National Quality Forum and analyses the relationship between different types of measures and their status in the endorsement lifecycle. This understanding may be useful for the automation of performance measurement, improving standards, the quality of data sets and the data flow in e-health record (EHR) systems. Results suggest a current concentration on measures which concern healthcare services, leaving far behind patient experience measures. Among the service-oriented measures, numbers are not evenly distributed across three stages in the endorsement lifecycle. There is a considerable backlog of measures to review requiring expedition in this process and/or extension of the endorsement period. Additionally, changes are required to include a larger number of patient experience measures. We provide important guidance to enhance the auditing and tracking of EHR performances.

Keywords: health information technology; performance measures; healthcare services; HIT standards; HIT measures; lifecycle analysis; USA; United States; data flows; e-health; electronic health records; EHR; electronic healthcare; healthcare technology; patient experience; performance auditing; performance tracking.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSS.2011.045048

International Journal of Services and Standards, 2011 Vol.7 No.3/4, pp.181 - 196

Published online: 27 Feb 2015 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article