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Information system for clinical resource management in a regional setting
O P Lehtonen1, I Räihä, K Wilson
1Hospital District of Varsinais-Suomi, Turku, Finland.
Studies in Health Technology and Informatics
|June 3, 1999
Summary
An open regional information system improved clinical resource management in Finland's Hospital District of Varsinais-Suomi. This system facilitated data-driven decisions, leading to structural changes and cost containment in specialized healthcare.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Health Informatics
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- The Hospital District of Varsinais-Suomi manages specialized healthcare for 440,000 residents across five non-psychiatric hospitals.
- Effective clinical resource management is crucial in complex healthcare organizations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the application of an open regional information system for clinical resource management.
- To assess inpatient care usage, length of stay, and costs across different diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) and hospitals.
Main Methods:
- Implementation of an open regional information system.
- Analysis of inpatient care utilization by community and DRG.
- Measurement of hospital stay duration per DRG.
- Comparison of DRG unit costs among hospitals.
Main Results:
- The system enabled assessment of inpatient care usage and length of stay across different DRGs.
- Comparisons of DRG unit costs between hospitals were facilitated.
- The open data structure promoted shared decision-making among healthcare professionals.
Conclusions:
- An open regional information system supports effective clinical resource management in a multi-hospital district.
- Data transparency and accessibility foster collaborative decision-making and cost containment strategies.
- The system aids in optimizing specialized healthcare delivery and resource allocation.