Orienting health care information systems toward quality: how Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound did it

Abstract

Background: Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound (GHC), a large staff-model health maintenance organization based in Seattle, is redesigning its information systems to provide the systems and information needed to support its quality agenda.

Planning process: Long-range planning for GHC's information resources was done in three phases. In assessment, interviews, surveys, and a benchmarking effort identified strengths and weaknesses of the existing information systems. We concluded that we needed to improve clinical care and patient management systems and enhance health plan applications. In direction setting, we developed six objectives (for example, approach information systems in a way that is consistent with quality improvement principles). Detailed planning was used to define projects, timing, and resource allocations.

Major efforts: Some of the most important efforts in the resulting five-year plan include the development of (1) a computerized patient record; (2) a provider-based clinical workstation for access to patient information, order entry, results reporting, guidelines, and reminders; (3) a comprehensive set of patient management and service quality systems; (4) reengineered structures, policies, and processes within the health plan, supported by a complete set of integrated information systems; (5) a standardized, high-capacity communications network to provide linkages both within GHC and among its business partners; and (6) a revised oversight structure for information services, which forms partnerships with users.

Conclusions: A quality focus ensured that each project not only produced its own benefits but also supported the larger organizational goals associated with "total" quality.