Abstract
Health Industry Insights developed a five-stage maturity model to describe the
evolution of healthcare IT in hospitals. Each stage builds on the previous
stage in terms of capabilities (see Figure 1):
- Stage 1: Basic HIS. The core financial and administrative systems are implemented to support patient registration, patient billing and accounts receivable, human resources and general finance, and other back-office business functions.
- Stage 2: Advanced HIS. In addition to the basic HIS applications, Stage 2 offers more sophisticated administrative capabilities such as electronic claims submission and payment processing.
- Stage 3: Advanced HIS/CIS. Stage 3 hospitals are beginning to lay the groundwork for electronic medical records (EMRs) by implementing the foundational clinical information systems (CIS), including laboratory information systems (LISs), radiology information systems (RISs)/radiology results reporting, picture archiving and communication systems (PACS), and pharmacy.
- Stage 4: Digital hospital. Once the core clinical information systems are fully implemented, Stage 4 hospitals will begin to implement the requisite infrastructure to support more advanced clinical applications such as computerized provider order entry (CPOE), wireless point-of-care clinical documentation, use of Web portal technology by patients and employees, and a fully functional electronic medical record.
- Stage 5: Digital virtual enterprise. The most advanced hospitals have not only fully automated their business and clinical functions but also have a robust clinical data repository (CDR) complemented by business and clinical intelligence reporting tools and are looking to extend the clinical reach beyond the institution using telemedicine and remote patient monitoring and participation in regional information-sharing initiatives.
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