The role IT plays in health care is so nebulous that it can be hard to discern its overall impact. To help make this more clear, HIMSS has released a tool that can quantify the clinical, financial, and business impact of IT investments. 

Called Health IT Value Suite, the new system “creates a taxonomy and framework to quantify and discuss the impact of IT in health settings,” according to a HIMSS release. It is built upon hundreds of case studies that serve as a benchmark.

The suite will allow users to identify how IT has been used to improve patient care, how IT can help reduce costs, and how it can improve safety and quality. The system analyzes IT’s impact in the following areas:

  • patient, provider, and staff satisfaction
  • improved safety, quality of care, and efficiency
  • data sharing and reporting
  • patient education and prevention
  • financial and business savings and efficiencies

Visit www.himss.org/ValueSuite to access learn more.