Description
Electronic health record systems (EHS) are the primary source of information for improving healthcare delivery processes. Research on adoption and use of this technology is now spanning more than four decades, but how to transform data in EHS into improved delivery processes is a persistent challenge for healthcare organizations. Insufficient quality of EHS data has previously been suggested as one possible impediment, but the role of information quality throughout the improvement process remains unclear. Thus, this article is investigating the role of information quality in a public hospital improvement intervention. Based on a critical realist analysis, an underlying mechanism for succeeding with improvement is proposed; for commitment to improvement to take place, production and communication of improvement information must incorporate certain information quality elements, and facilitated by management involvement and improvement culture. This mechanism must be triggered on different organizational levels until improvement commitment is achieved among clinicians.
Recommended Citation
Hausvik, Geir Inge, "Information Quality in Healthcare Delivery Improvement: A Critical Realist Approach" (2017). AMCIS 2017 Proceedings. 17.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/amcis2017/Healthcare/Presentations/17
Information Quality in Healthcare Delivery Improvement: A Critical Realist Approach
Electronic health record systems (EHS) are the primary source of information for improving healthcare delivery processes. Research on adoption and use of this technology is now spanning more than four decades, but how to transform data in EHS into improved delivery processes is a persistent challenge for healthcare organizations. Insufficient quality of EHS data has previously been suggested as one possible impediment, but the role of information quality throughout the improvement process remains unclear. Thus, this article is investigating the role of information quality in a public hospital improvement intervention. Based on a critical realist analysis, an underlying mechanism for succeeding with improvement is proposed; for commitment to improvement to take place, production and communication of improvement information must incorporate certain information quality elements, and facilitated by management involvement and improvement culture. This mechanism must be triggered on different organizational levels until improvement commitment is achieved among clinicians.