See the light: Project Spectrum solves some of healthcare's most challenging IT problems

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Healthcare Management
• Information Systems

Background:

• Healthcare industry changes and managed care growth necessitated improved patient care coordination.
• Disparate legacy information systems hindered effective communication and patient management.
• BJC Health System faced challenges in addressing patient needs across the continuum of care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel information system to integrate disparate healthcare data.
• To enhance patient care delivery across the entire continuum of care.
• To improve communication and data accessibility within a large health system.

Main Methods:

• Collaboration with technology partners (IBM, Kodak, Southwestern Bell, Motorola) for system development.
• Creation of Project Spectrum, an integrated information system.
• Focus on interoperability beyond acute care facilities.

Main Results:

• Project Spectrum enables access to clinical data from any point within the health system.
• The system is designed to be user-friendly and fast.
• Provides tools to support better and more efficient patient care.

Conclusions:

• Successful integration requires a long-term institutional commitment to information system objectives.
• True healthcare integration is an ongoing process, not a one-time fix.
• Project Spectrum demonstrates a commitment to advancing information system capabilities for improved healthcare delivery.