[Defining evaluation indicators of health inforamtion systems and a model presentation]

ABSTRACT

Health information systems have designed in order to manage health information fluency for improving healthcare quality. It is necessary to conduct continues evaluations to do epidemiologic researches and manage health information systems, enhance quality and decrease costs. Unfortunately there isn't framework that focus on the measurement methods and indicators in our country. Objective of this research is defining steps, study design methods, data sources and indicators of health information systems evaluation. This research was cross sectional-description and conducted in 2004. At first studied books in library and searched on the internet to find related information. Then we categorized developed indicators by Canada and England. After that give questionnaire which had 20 key questions with some indicators for each of them to the specialist. Questionnaire given to 35 persons, but it full by 28. these persons were teaching staff in university and specialties in health information systems. Selected indicators as the most important indicators were which over%75 sight selected them high and very high in degree. After gathering questionnaire, results analyzed by SPSS. There are six steps to evaluate health information systems. They include Agree why an evaluation is needed? Agree when to evaluate? Agree what to evaluate, Agree how to evaluate, analyse and report? Assess recommendations and decide on actions. There were 13 study designs for health information systems evaluation. Finally, indicators provided in three contexts accountability, performance enhancement and knowledge development. It is necessary to consider human aspects and knowledge development more over economics and financial aspects. Conducted evaluations of health information system is based on the accountability that conducted with randomized controlled trial and qualitative. The best evaluation is conducted when use some evaluation methods with considering these indicators