Performance evaluation of Health Information Systems using ARIS modeling and discrete-event simulation

Abstract

Innovation and health-care funding reforms have contributed to the deployment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to improve patient care. Many health-care organizations considered the application of ICT as a crucial key to enhance health-care management. This paper aims at providing a global methodology to assess the organizational impact of high-level Health Information System (HIS) on patient pathway. We propose a performance evaluation for HIS using formal modeling with ARIS (Architecture of Integrated Information Systems) models and a Discrete Event Simulation approach. The methodology is applied to the consultation for cancer treatment process. Simulation scenarios are established to conclude about the impact of HIS on patient pathway. We demonstrated that although high level HIS lengthen the consultation, occupation rates of oncologists are lower and quality of care is higher (through number of available information accessed during the consultation). The methodology is flexible enough to be applied to other health-care systems.