Health Information Technology Economic Evaluation

Abstract

This chapter describes a framework for conducting economic analyses of health information technologies (HIT). It explains the basic principles of healthcare economic analyses and the relationships between the costs and effectiveness of a health intervention, and then uses these principles to explain the types of data that need to be gathered in order to conduct a health information technology economic evaluation study. A current health information technology study is then used to illustrate the incorporation of the framework’s economic analysis methods into an ongoing research project. Economic research in the field of health information technology is not yet well developed. This chapter is meant to educate researchers about the need for HIT economic analyses as well as provide a structured framework to assist them in conducting these analyses.