TITLE:
Adopting Healthcare Information Exchange among Organizations, Regions, and Hospital Systems toward Quality, Sustainability, and Effectiveness
AUTHORS:
Maria Jose Amaral Salomi, Priscila Borin Claro
KEYWORDS:
Sustainability, Economy, Efficiency, Effectiveness, Quality, Electronic Health Record, Health Information Exchange
JOURNAL NAME:
Technology and Investment,
Vol.11 No.3,
August
6,
2020
ABSTRACT: Adopting data and information integration and exchange between two or more organizations, regions, communities, health insurance companies, and hospital systems has gradually become a requirement to improve health care quality, sustainability in management of work processes, and efficiency and effectiveness in financial and administrative management through cost monitoring and improved clinical protocols. The central aim of this study was to demonstrate how the use of Health Information Exchange (HIE) models helps increase quality, sustainability, efficiency, and effectiveness through data and information integration and exchange. Data collection were performed through an assessment of the literature in the timeframe between 2002 and 2016 referring to academic or non-academic organizations. The analysis of the literature considered Brazilian, American, and European articles. The results from the research on electronic databases were not satisfactory for the Brazilian scenario, where this theme is still very recent. Results from statistical, quantitative, and qualitative analyses showing data, indices, and the use of ICTs through dedicated software showed that health data and information exchange is capable of improving: 1) the quality of care given to patients and employees of the institution; 2) sustainability in management of work processes and activities pertaining to the relationship between providers, users, and service offer; 3) effectiveness and efficiency in operational cost monitoring and service protocols, giving the health institutions a prominent position in their fields in the eyes of external investors. Regarding the appropriate, legally- and policy-compliant use of data and information exchange and integration, organizations must obey legal requirements in conformity with each country’s current legislation. Suggestions for future studies are given at the end.