The United Kingdom National Health Service Perspective on the Power of Information in Healthcare

Abstract

In January of 2013 the UK Department of Health (DOH)2 published a report from PricewaterhouseCoopers entitled A review of the potential benefits from the better use of information and technology in Health and Social Care (1). The 60-page final report highlighted additional evidence in support of previously published strategies [ The power of information: Putting all of us in control of the health and care information we need and an accompanying impact assessment (2)], which identified and evaluated the potential benefits that would arise from implementation of actions to “transform information for healthcare … to achieve higher quality care and improve outcomes for patients and service providers.” The majority of the DOH review contains substantial quantities of “could deliver,” “potential financial benefits,” and “significant further work is required.” Given the size and scope of the variables that must be conquered in implementing such systems, the viewpoint presented in the report appears overly optimistic. It also ignores many of the known limitations of electronic medical records and use of the Internet for communication and coordination of medical care. Key findings of the review suggest that potential financial benefits could be on the …