Using a Business Case Model to Predict Health and Financial Effects of Integrating Public Health Information Systems

Making a strong business case for integrating public health information systems can be a critical first step toward implementing enterprise-level integrated systems and gaining stakeholder support. Since there are few examples of such systems to date, there is a lack of evidence-based data to document their costs and benefits. To address the need for data to predict integration-related effects, the Public Health Informatics Institute with The Lewin Group developed an Excel©-based Business Case Model (BCM) tool that estimates economic, health, and programmatic effects that would likely result from integration. This particular model is designed to demonstrate projected costs and benefits of integrating two or more information systems related to child health programs over a five year period. It is pre-populated with current documented state-specific information from national databases and reports published in the medical literature. In cases in which there are no data available to perform calculations on the effects of integration, educated estimates by experts are used. Six states participating in a community of practice for integrating child health information systems tested the BCM and provided feedback to refine it.  Three states have now completed evaluations using the BCM and are applying the results to support their efforts toward systems integration and related policy development. There will be a demonstration of how the BCM works, and examples of tables and graphs that summarize cost efficiency and health benefits of child health information systems integration will be displayed.  The business case for integrating child health information systems is just one example of how structured analysis of costs and benefits can guide investment over the life cycle of an enterprise-level public health information system. This project was supported by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.