Information Systems and Healthcare XV: Strategic Fit in Healthcare Integrated Delivery Systems: An Empirical Investigation

Abstract

This study employs 130 health care integrated delivery systems (IDSs) currently active in the U.S. to examine the quality and financial performance impacts of strategic fit for interorganizational networks. Using secondary data from HIMSS Analytics and the American Hospital Directory, this study classifies the IDSs into High-Maturity Organizations and Low-Maturity Organizations based on the corresponding levels of IT integration and organizational maturity achieved at the time of the study. A model of the relationship between strategic fit and both average length of hospital stay and operational cost is then tested for each group. With comparisons across the two levels of IDS development, the results suggest that IDSs that have achieved both high IT integration and organizational maturity exhibit greater improvements to both average length of hospital stay and operational cost than do IDSs at a lower level of IT integration and organizational maturity.