BUILDING A DATA FOUNDATION FOR TOMORROWS HEALTH-CARE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT-SYSTEMS

Accurate, timely data are a necessary foundation for an effective heal thcare information management system. Today's systems do not achieve t heir potential because they lack this essential ingredient. Technology can reduce the problem by making the data entry task easier, but a co mplete solution will require neu strategies for system implementation and use. Functions must be implemented in a sequence that allows the i nitial functions to establish a data foundation for subsequent functio ns. Each atomic data item must be collected separately, with a consist ent definition. Data capture strategies must permit data to be collect ed once, at the source. Finally, the data must be used, reused, and co rrected by all members of the healthcare team.