Implementation of electronic health records: Modeling and evaluating healthcare information systems for quality improvements in the United States healthcare industry

In spite of several innovative measures in the United States (U.S.) healthcare industry, the industry is not only lagging behind other industries in its technology adoption, but also in ensuring basic safety and healthcare quality (Landro, 2001). The healthcare information systems (HIS) can provide financial and qualitative benefits to the healthcare industry (Wickramasinghe, Fadlalla, Geisler, & Schaffer, 2003). However, the HIS literature review has indicated a lack of cost-effective HIS model with uniform healthcare information standards and quality measures, in the U.S. healthcare information technology documentation. The purpose of this study was to construct and evaluate the Electronic Health Record (EHR)-centric model to monitor a predefined set of healthcare quality goals. The quantitative research methodology, strategic contingency theory of organizational management, and economic value-added concepts of HIS planning have been applied. Secondary survey data from 1999 to 2004, collected by the American Hospital Association (AHA) annual survey of hospitals and the Dorenfest Integrated Healthcare Delivery Systems (IHDS), have been used to determine statistical significance of the proposed critical success factors of healthcare quality in small, medium, and large size healthcare organizations. The findings have provided a planning structure for healthcare organizations and new understanding in healthcare information technology management fields, for improving quality of the healthcare services.