What is the Value Proposition of IT in Healthcare?

Kevin Leonard
Associate Professor,
Department of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation
Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto and
Executive Director, IMPROVE-IT Institute

February 2, 2005
12:00 Noon - 1:30 PM
Davis Centre 1302, University of Waterloo

View Video of Presentation in HI Alive Archive: Research Seminars Archive 2004-2005

Abstract
While many believe that the implementation and widespread adoption of IT throughout healthcare has had and will continue to have a significant positive effect, there is little evidence to support this belief. Our research is attempting to demonstrate, on a widespread scale, the tremendous influence that IT has indeed had on healthcare to date.

In more detail, our collaborative research initiative attempts to provide the evidence that increased IT capabilities, availability, and use leads directly to improved clinical quality, safety, and effectiveness with an emphasis on the inpatient hospital setting. For specific consideration, we have defined measurement indicators in three areas:

• IT spending (both initial and on-going investment)
• Technology infusion (i.e., system availability, adoption and deployment)
• Health outcomes (e.g., clinical efficacy, efficiency, quality, and effectiveness)

In this talk, I will describe the work that we have done to date to identify potential measures in each of the three areas described above. We will also describe how one can make these measures and how to become part of this exciting project.

Biosketch
Kevin Leonard is an Associate Professor, Department of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (HPME), Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto and Executive Director, IMPROVE-IT Institute. He is also a Research Scientist, Centre for Global eHealth Innovation, University Health Network and a Research Member, Centre for Research in Education. He is the Past Chair, Research Advisory Sub-committee of the OSCREN (Ontario Community Services Research and Evaluation Network) and a past Member, Community Care Access Center Information Management System (CCACIMS – C3) Council, July 1999 - 2002.

Kevin Leonard received his Ph.D. from the Joint Doctoral Program in Montreal where he specialized in Statistics and Information Systems Theory for Business. After four years in the banking industry, first at the Bank of Canada (Ottawa) and the Fair, Isaac Companies in San Rafael, California, Kevin joined Wilfrid Laurier University as a Professor in The School of Business and Economics. In 1996, Kevin joined the Department of Health Administration (now HPME) at the University of Toronto. He has been pursuing the creation of a National Patient Advocacy program and is researching issues pertaining to the development, implementation and evaluation of health informatics investment.