Meaningful use of information technology: a local perspective

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Health Services Research
• Health Policy

Background:

• The U.S. federal government promotes health information technology (HIT) adoption via meaningful use policy.
• This policy aims to reduce healthcare costs and enhance care quality.
• Meaningful use policy relies on provider adoption and sustainability of HIT infrastructure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the assumptions underlying the federal meaningful use policy from a provider's perspective.
• To propose a more effective strategy for health information technology adoption.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the federal meaningful use policy's assumptions.
• Provider perspective evaluation of HIT adoption challenges.
• Comparative analysis of top-down versus bottom-up adoption strategies.

Main Results:

• The current meaningful use policy is based on unrealistic assumptions for healthcare providers.
• Providers face challenges in purchasing, utilizing, and sustaining HIT infrastructure.
• The top-down approach of the policy does not align with the realities of patient care delivery.

Conclusions:

• A viable meaningful use policy should incorporate provider realities.
• A bottom-up adoption strategy is more likely to succeed than the current top-down approach.
• Revising the policy to be provider-centric can improve health information technology adoption and its intended outcomes.