Time reporting within a health systems agency

It is a truism that good management is a prerequisite to successful health planning and that essential to good management is reliable data on what is taking place. Health Systems Agencies (HSAs) have, in general, not taken advantage of management information systems (MIS) which might assist them in obtaining such data, perhaps because of cost or because of fear of burdening professionals with too much record keeping. Yet, performance categories mandated for HSAs provide an excellent base on which to build a simple, flexible MIS. The HSA of Western New York (HSAWNY) has installed an MIS, one component of which is a time reporting system for professional activity. This article discusses the purposes of the system, the analysis leading to its design, the input coding requirements, the output reports, uses for the output, the developmental and operational costs, the difficulties with system development and operation, and suggestions for further action.