Federal Health Care. Increased Information System Sharing Could Improve Service, Reduce Costs
Abstract
Sharing among VA's Decentralized Hospital Computer Program (DHCP), DOD's Composite Health Care System (CHCS), and IH's Resource and Patient Management System (RPMS) offers many potential benefits, including improved service to patients,reduced costs, and better use of health care facilities. However, despite these benefits, such sharing is limited. Health-related information that is shared between the agencies is paper-based; electronic exchange of information does not exist, and intra-agency exchange is limited. Some software sharing does occur between VA and IHS for selected functions, and a few VA/DOD sites share computer systems. There are three factors that facilitate sharing: the agencies perform a common function- delivering medical care; they have a general desire to improve health care services within constrained resources; and their health information systems have a similar technical structure.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA266922
Entities
People
- Ira S. Sachs
- James B. Hamilton
- Jerilynn B. Hoy
- John A. Riley
- William S. Franklin
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office