Caregroup

CareGroup

From 1990s, information technology infrastructure became stage at the heart of most companies’ operating capabilities. Internet technology provides a low-cost way to communicate with each department of company. And it presents new possibilities for addressing business computing needs. For CareGroup, IT infrastructure can be divided into three categories: network, process system, and facilities. Because of the change caused by merger and environment changing, CareGroup obtains the power for against HMOs, it improves quality of care and drive down the cost, and meanwhile their integrated technology system network has grown organically.

Before 1998, each hospital of CareGroup ran a decentralized nonstandardized IT organization. By 2002, all of these hospitals had been brought together .CareGroup’s IT system and services were widely viewed as critical to building clinical loyalty. By 2003, CareGroup had the most advanced network, e-mail system, voice/wireless system, data center, and web infrastructure in health care. All applications were Web-enabled. The IT organization ran a complete “light-out” data center with three backup generators.

Managing Sources of Implementation Risk

“Technology can increase efficiency; it can also create greater risk.” (Case analysis) Before the CareGroup merged all those health facilities, the working environment of them was not paperless. They used telephone appointment, faxing, on-line ordering, and paper document for transactions. After they combined into CareGroup, they decided to push a more efficient and convenient way to process their old services. It is paperless working environment. They used more technologies than before. They required all files should be electronic files. It includes digitized x-rays, digitized test results, historical record of patients, history of drug allergic, and what kind of drug they used before. It also includes the financial transactions and records of each hospital. In this way,...