Dimensions of growth: A Maturity Model for continuous quality improvement of a clinical

Abstract

Most studies of Clinical Information System (CIS) implementations tend to limit the inquiry to the installation phase. This research extends this perspective of the CIS lifecycle to the years post-installation. This study examines the development of a maturity model to both assess and guide the ongoing development of a locally customised hospital critical care CIS, in response to the continuous quality improvement initiatives of the service. The model arose from qualitative data collected from a critical care service in a large teaching hospital. The method involved a first principles examination of the priorities of a critical care service through an inductive textual analysis of the documents that underpin the strategic, professional and operational requirements of the critical care service. These priorities form the dimensions of the traditional maturity model, where a series of interviews with clinical experts examine how the CIS can facilitate improvement along each dimension The maturity model developed consists of seven dimensions, each described in terms of four levels of increasing sophistication. This model is piloted in the critical care department of a large university hospital, which has been using a CIS for over four years. Results show that the method proposed is suitable for the development of a CIS maturity model. The results of the pilot study highlight different individual perspectives on the current level of CIS maturity. This study concludes that this model is a suitable tool to assess current performance, and as a strategic guide to organise for ongoing CIS success.