As a nurse practicing in the age of technology, it is important for you to discriminate between HIT system evaluation and other forms of evaluation. As a doctorally prepared nurse, you may have the opportunity to become involved with the HIT system evaluation process. How can you guide your practice setting to meaningfully evaluate HIT systems? What strategies might you employ to assess the outcomes and effectiveness of a HIT system?

To prepare:

Reflect on the information presented in the Learning Resources, focusing on the various strategies used to evaluate the effectiveness of a health information system.
Resources:
Nahm, E., Vaydia, V., Ho, D., Scharf, B., & Seagull, J. (2007). Outcomes assessment of clinical information system implementation: A practical guide. Nursing Outlook, 55(6),

Rahimi, B., & Vimarlund, V. (2007). Methods to evaluate health information systems in healthcare settings: A literature review. Journal of Medical Systems, 31(5), 397-432.

Runy, L. A. (2009). IT challenges in physician practice management. Hospitals & Health Networks, 83(11), 37-43.

Wyatt, J. (2010). Assessing and improving evidence based health informatics research. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, 151, 435-445.

Healthcare Information and Management Systems (HIMSS). (2011). Retrieved from http://www.himss.org/

Consider the strategies you use to evaluate other health care issues. How are those strategies similar or dissimilar to those used for evaluating a health information system?

By Day 3 post a cohesive response that addresses the following:

1. Differentiate the process of evaluating health information technology systems from other types of evaluation in health care.
2. What specific strategies might you employ for an information system evaluation?
3. What factors might you examine to judge the system’s effectiveness?
4. Assess the main challenges of designing a successful information system evaluation.