Information technology and healthcare quality improvement: cases from veterans affairs Pittsburgh healthcare system

Healthcare quality is of great significance in public health and healthcare services. Healthcare quality improvement consists of systematic and continuous actions that lead to measurable improvement in health care services and the health status of targeted patient groups. Information technology can significantly contribute to quality improvements in healthcare institutions, both in administrative and clinical aspects. However, there are difficulties associated with implementing information technologies.\ud In this essay, two cases from Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System are used to demonstrate how information technology can contribute to healthcare quality, and a conceptual framework is also adopted to illustrate this problem. This essay also tries to identify the challenges in implementing information technologies in healthcare institutions, and the experience from the cases is also discussed. The result indicated that the complexity of the information technology, human acceptance of information technology, data security and data quality and standard are the major challenges encountered when implementing information technologies in healthcare institutions. Faced with these challenges, significant leadership and involvement of employees, clear goals and standards as well as achievement of them, correct data collection and maintenance methods, and effective training appealed to physicians would help reduce the possible barriers. \u