Mapping healthcare information technology

Abstract

In this thesis I have developed a map of Healthcare Information Technology applications used in the United States for care delivery, healthcare enterprise management, clinical support, research and patient engagement. No attempt has previously been made to develop such a taxonomy for use by healthcare policy makers and on-the-spot decision makers. Using my own fifteen years of experience in HIT, along with an extensive set of literature reviews, interviews and on-site research I assembled lists of applications and organized them into categories based on primary workflows. Seven categories of HIT systems emerged, which are Practice Tools, Advisory Tools, Financial Tools, Remote Healthcare Tools, Clinical Research Tools, Health 2.0 Tools and Enterprise Clinical Analytics, each of which have different operational characteristics and user communities. The results of this pilot study demonstrate that a map is possible. The draft map presented here will allow researchers and investors to focus on developing the next generation of HIT tools, including software platforms that orchestrate a variety of healthcare transactions, and will support policy makers as they consider the impact of Federal funding for HIT deployment and adoption. Further studies will refine the map, adding an additional level of detail below the seven categories established here, thus supporting tactical decision making at the hospital and medical practice level.