AN INTERSYSTEMS WHITE PAPER Creating Sustainable 21st Century Health Systems: eHealth and Health Information Technology Health | Business | Government

Creating Sustainable 21st Century Health Systems: eHealth and Health Information Technology Executive Summary The aging of the world’s population combined with the growth of chronic medical conditions is bringing relentless pressure to bear on health systems globally, even as consumer expectations are increasing. As nations around the world seek to address this challenge, they are exploring the ways in which information technology can help them drive healthcare improvements and innovation. Our frame of reference is more than 30 years of global health information technology experience, with systems...

■ Almost ubiquitous access to information has created an expectation of transparency, choice, and shared decision-making by healthcare ■ Most important, costs have become unsustainable2, putting at risk highly valued national health and social care priorities. The imperative now is to develop and deploy models of information management to address these new realities cost-effectively while fostering healthier Imagining a Sustainable Model The starting point for a 21st century healthcare model is the growth of an aging population, chronic disease, and uncoordinated care. Considerthe following:...

To ensure sufficient healthcare resources for the future, we need to create a more sustainable model — one that shifts the focus from healthcare to health, and from treating infectious disease to effectively managing chronic disease through a tightly coordinated, distributed care team that includes and engages the patient. A sustainable model encourages healthy behaviors and preventive care across the population to reduce the incidence of disease. And it harnesses information technology to promote safe, high-quality evidenced-based care in the most appropriate settings across the continuum. The...

environment is not possible across a care continuum involving a growing array of disparate organizations. The community-wide model has different stakeholders, regulatory context, processes, IT systems, and often funding. Consider, for example, the need to incorporate social services such as child protection into a community care process; these providers do not and will not use an EMR, yet they need to be able to connect all the dots for a given patient. Second, the right tool for the job: agility at the point of service Optimal population health management requires safe, high-quality care for...

Regardless of the approach, all clinical team members must ultimately have the information they need to deliver care efficiently, adopt best practices, and communicate effectively. Third, do the right thing: the shared care plan We all want to do the right thing for the health of our communities. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) describes this as the “Triple Aim” — excellent quality, optimal costs, and improved population health13. But given the distributed nature of the care team, the need for close communication, and the rapid introduction of new diagnostics and therapies, it...

“This is one of the most strategic IT investments Northwell Health has ever undertaken. [InterSystems] HealthShare’s modern architectural design will give us the agility we need as we continue to grow. This platform will position us strongly for the future, providing the scalability, reliability, and performance we need, without requiring anyone in our care community to replace their technology investments or disrupt familiar processes and workflows.” John Bosco, CIO, Northwell Health (formerly North Shore-LIJ Health System) The organization has a growing network of hundreds of physician offices...

Step 5: Measure-Monitor-Improve-Repeat. At each step along the path to a mature eHealth program, there will be opportunities to enhance and improve care processes, drive efficiencies, enhance patient satisfaction, and learn from experience. The essence of a learning health system is continuous measurement and improvement. Conclusion Nations everywhere are facing the realities of a new healthcare environment — one in which healthcare is a team activity, patients are equal partners in the care continuum, and new approaches are needed to ensure sustainable funding for increased demands. An eHealth...