Annual Symposium on Computer Application in Medical Care · 1989 · 12 citations · 0 references
ComputingInformation SystemsManagement Information SystemsClinical Information SystemsHealth Information SystemsHealthcare Information SystemsFormative EvaluationHealth Information System EvaluationHospital Information SystemsHospital SystemsImplementation AssessmentSystem ImplementationBenefits OptimizationHealth Information System AdoptionHealthcare Systems EvaluationHealthcare Systems ImplementationHelp SystemsTimely Feedback
Abstract The evaluation of complex hospital medical and management information systems presents many complex methodological and logistical problems. Many studies, best characterized as outcome or summative evaluations, customarily document failures and successes associated with system implementation. We approach system implementation as an indeterminable process and evaluation as a management tool that can provide essential and timely feedback to both system developers and users. This paper discusses our ongoing and formative evaluation study of the transplacement of the HELP system from the LDS hospital in Salt Lake City to the McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, Utah. Surveys of future system users did not show any significant differences between three major groups of respondents (physicians, nurses, and staff) in terms of preferences for user education methods. The results of our work suggest that a formative evaluation study can facilitate system adoption and utilization without compromising concurrent needs of scientific objectivity.