Showing papers in "Journal of Cases on Information Technology in 2012"
TL;DR: Citrus Valley Health Partners' CVHP goals are bigger than just to comply with the regulations or simply to qualify for incentives, but rather include transforming their business to the next level in care delivery.
Abstract: The recent healthcare reform act provides incentive payments to providers for their 'meaningful use' of electronic health records to achieve significant improvements in care. The HITECH Act 2009 provides incentives payments through Medicare and Medicaid to clinicians and hospitals when they achieve specified improvements in care delivery. Citrus Valley Health Partners' CVHP goals are bigger than just to comply with the regulations or simply to qualify for incentives, but rather include transforming their business to the next level in care delivery. They are seeking cooperation from their affiliates to build a community health information exchange that will allow CVHP and the affiliates to share and integrate patient health related information between their medical centers and the private physicians in their community. The integrated system will help community healthcare providers to work as a single operating entity focused and aligned on improving patient care, operational efficiency and cost effectiveness.
10 citations
TL;DR: Simplified Health Care, a prominent health care provider in North India, launched successful Six Sigma implementation, which was supplemented with other IT initiatives including Electronic Health Care Records.
Abstract: In India, the notion of Health Care Quality has become a relevant topic. Even though Quality Management processes such as Six Sigma have been proven in the health care industry in the United States, there is little record of Six Sigma implementation in India. Despite the lack of proven success in the country, Simplified Health Care, a prominent health care provider in North India, launched successful Six Sigma implementation, which was supplemented with other IT initiatives including Electronic Health Care Records. Simplified Health Care success is a testament for Six Sigma, despite challenges ahead.
10 citations
TL;DR: Titan Healthcare is seeking to design and implement a new Outpatient Pharmacy Information System which will handle both dispensing and inventory functionality and expectations are to significantly reduce inventory costs and increase service levels to their members.
Abstract: With the implementation of the recent Healthcare Reform Act and the increased scrutiny on the soaring costs of healthcare, medical plans are looking for ways to optimize workflows and reduce costs. Titan Healthcare is a large non-profit integrated healthcare company located in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado, and Texas. They provide health insurance coverage, and a broad range of comprehensive health care services. Titan Healthcare is engrossed to employ the best strategies to close performance gaps and efficiently manage their operations. To help improve their pharmacy operations, they are seeking to design and implement a new Outpatient Pharmacy Information System which will handle both dispensing and inventory functionality. From a pharmacy inventory perspective, expectations for the system are to significantly reduce inventory costs and increase service levels to their members. Titan Healthcare is currently exploring options for designing the right Outpatient Pharmacy Inventory Management System for its operations.
8 citations
TL;DR: This case describes inventory management problems faced by an Indian convenience store chain and asks students to propose solutions to these problems and illustrates how processes realities and their IT solutions differ in an emerging economy.
Abstract: This case captures inventory management process in an Indian convenience store. Unlike retail stores in developed countries, Indian convenience stores are a special format of organized retailing, where retailers open multiple smaller stores in a town instead of one big centralised store. An excellent inventory management process is the key to make such stores perform well. This case describes inventory management problems faced by an Indian convenience store chain and asks students to propose solutions to these problems. This case illustrates how processes realities and their IT solutions differ in an emerging economy. Using inventory management process as an example, this teaching case can introduce students to the process and technological realities in an Indian context and differences between India and the West.
8 citations
TL;DR: There is remarkable uniformity regarding privacy and security concerns expressed by members and the authors anticipate that these insights can assist health plans to develop and deploy services and tools for health and wellness management keeping in mind the relevant risk considerations.
Abstract: The use of social media for health and wellness promotion is gathering significant momentum. Several early adopting health plans and provider organizations have begun to design and pilot social and mobile media platforms to empower members to enhance self-management of health and wellness goals. However, there is considerable concern among the general population regarding the privacy, security and reliability of health-related information obtained or collected through online and social media channels. In this teaching case of members of a large health plan in Pennsylvania, the authors examine these concerns in the context of several factors such as demographic, clinical conditions including the presence of chronic conditions, level of computer and social media usage, and frequency of engagement in specific online activities. Furthermore, they also examine the role of privacy, security and confidentiality concerns in members' interest in adopting such technology platforms for health-related information and services, if offered by the health plan. Analysis of relevant data from more than 4,000 survey responses does not indicate significant differences among important segments of the member population. There is remarkable uniformity regarding privacy and security concerns expressed by members. The authors anticipate that these insights can assist health plans to develop and deploy services and tools for health and wellness management keeping in mind the relevant risk considerations.
8 citations
TL;DR: This case presents the plan, action, and challenges involved in the e-learning initiative of a newly established institute of higher learning in India and brings out the critical situations and factors that a brick and mortar educational institution needs to manage when moving on to the e -learning space.
Abstract: Literature provides many success and failure stories of technology adoption in business that are often analyzed and discussed in the classrooms. However, when it comes to actual implementation, even academic institutions seem to be committing the same mistakes. This case presents the plan, action, and challenges involved in the e-learning initiative of a newly established institute of higher learning in India. The Institute under discussion partnered with a European university to bring in international standard of education. Its plan was to adopt technology for all its regular courses as well as to launch a fully online Master's degree within the first year of its operation. A team was gathered to set up e-learning in the Institute, which worked with full enthusiasm during the initial months. However, lack of vision and top management support, absence of institutionalized agenda, skeletal team structure and coordination, weak project planning, technology infrastructure, as well as lack of faculty involvement, became the bottlenecks for the e-learning adoption. Gradually, the team got scattered and there after the whole initiative was shattered. The case brings out the critical situations and factors that a brick and mortar educational institution needs to manage when moving on to the e-learning space.
7 citations
TL;DR: Analysis of relevant data indicates significant differences among important segments of the member population defined with respect to demographic factors, level of computer and social media usage, and frequency of engagement in specific online activities.
Abstract: The use of social media for health and wellness promotion is a relatively new concept. Nonetheless, several early adopting health plans and provider organizations have begun to design and pilot social and mobile media platforms to empower members to enhance self management of health and wellness goals. In this case study of a large health plan in Pennsylvania, the authors describe the design and execution of a member survey to identify some factors that are significantly associated with interest in adopting such technology platforms for obtaining health-related information and services. Analysis of relevant data from more than 4,000 responses indicates significant differences among important segments of the member population defined with respect to demographic factors, level of computer and social media usage, and frequency of engagement in specific online activities. They anticipate that these insights can assist health plans to develop and deploy targeted services and tools for health and wellness management.
7 citations
TL;DR: The CEO and management were acutely aware that it was not easy to implement these changes by implementing Information Technology systems, and concluded that the solution to the new challenges faced by their company laid in implementing the new information technology systems.
Abstract: True Health Care Organization THC was a national leading health care organization. Its CEO and the management team were concerned with the implications of multiple laws, aimed at improving health care in the United States, passed that impacted the health care insurance industry including the THC Company. The CEO and the management felt that the company faced many challenges as it looked for solutions to the requirements of the new laws. Their industry was going through an unprecedented change due to the new laws and a general consensus that health care should be improved. They had concluded that the solution to the new challenges faced by their company laid in implementing the new Information Technology systems. The CEO and management were acutely aware that it was not easy to implement these changes by implementing Information Technology systems. The challenges that they were concerned about included skillsets of their work force, the disjointed nature of their current information technology infrastructure and the urgency of implementing all the changes within a short period.
6 citations
TL;DR: The CIO of a premier managed care health insurance provider "ABC Company" wants to take advantage of the new environment using Information Technology to deliver new systems and processes that support ABC Company's to the new realities it is facing the market.
Abstract: The recent health care reform is one of the biggest changes that the health care industry has ever faced. This reform represents the paradigm changing opportunities and challenges for the company providing health insurance in a managed care environment. The CIO of a premier managed care health insurance provider "ABC Company" wants to take advantage of the new environment using Information Technology. He and his management teams have determined, using primary research, that the customer perception of the health care company's cost and accessibility to the quality health care are the most important factors to their customers in the new market. They are aware that even though they have been able to use information technology to predict customer reaction to the changes in cost, and perception of quality, it will be very difficult to deliver new systems and processes that support ABC Company's to the new realities it is facing the market.
5 citations
TL;DR: This case describes the design and development process of a computer-based information system for the management of archaeological finds and related documents, targeting the domain of archaeology that has not received so much attention by Information Systems literature to date.
Abstract: This case describes the design and development process of a computer-based information system for the management of archaeological finds and related documents. Adaptive Structuration Theory is used as the conceptual framework to analyse the role and actions of different people involved in the design and development process, during the different stages of the case. The case addresses key issues, such as an initiative taking place in an organizational context where users show different needs, profiles and levels of information technology literacy. It focuses primarily on the interactions between practitioners and technological experts during the design and development process. Another matter of interest comes from the fact that, in this sector, no other information system for finds management was already available. Moreover, this case targets the domain of archaeology that has not received so much attention by Information Systems literature to date.
3 citations
TL;DR: A case study of a survey conducted by a health insurance company to formulate an information technology strategy for new health care reforms in the USA is presented.
Abstract: The majority of the workers are employees of a small business in the USA. A large percentage of these employees get healthcare insurance from their employers. However, there is a discrepancy between the employees and employers when it comes to health insurance preferences. This case presents a case study of a survey conducted by a health insurance company to formulate an information technology strategy. In the light of new health care reforms, the ASBC Company is planning to use the results of this survey to formulate an information technology strategy.
TL;DR: A successful LIMS implementation within AZ is described who deployed a customised COTS solution in just four months and the requirement for dedicated in-house resource with intimate domain knowledge coupled with experienced vendor personnel is highlighted.
Abstract: In 2006 AstraZeneca AZ executed a strategy to centralise all biochemical screening activities within one of its Research Areas, into a single team. This team had the remit to deliver data faster and more consistently, whilst reducing the FTE's deployed against such activities. Keeping the team small, AZ hoped to facilitate more flexible use of resources, remaining agile enough to respond to changing business demands; however this centralised approach brought with it a fresh set of challenges, not least of which was information management. This review describes a successful LIMS implementation within AZ who deployed a customised COTS solution in just four months. It outlines the steps taken over the initial system development life cycle and highlights the requirement for dedicated in-house resource with intimate domain knowledge coupled with experienced vendor personnel. It goes on to explore the requirement for continued evolution of the system and the challenges this posed.
TL;DR: The case describes how inspectors share their work experiences, reflect upon them, and learn from each other at a distance by using stories, pictures, and documents, which is made possible by the GoToMeetingTM tool.
Abstract: Organizations today are looking for new ways to support knowledge-sharing and learning activities among their employees by the use of IT. The case describes how inspectors share their work experiences, reflect upon them, and learn from each other at a distance by using stories, pictures, and documents, which is made possible by the GoToMeetingTM tool. In this case the GoToMeetingTM tool supports learning activities across geographical and organizational boundaries and contributes to efficient conditions for sharing inspection practices. The issues covered are learning activities facilitated by IT as well as the limitations of the tool in use.
TL;DR: An organization that has been traditionally known to have a strong in house information technology development team and has successfully managed a home grown ERP solution for over a decade faces a transition point.
Abstract: An organization that has been traditionally known to have a strong in house information technology development team and has successfully managed a home grown ERP solution for over a decade faces a transition point. Ashok Leyland, a large leading Indian automobile manufacturer is faced with the dilemma of moving to a product based ERP platform or continuing with the homegrown ERP solution. The challenges with the homegrown ERP solution are evident to the GM, but the potential challenges of the product platform are not crystal clear. What path should he take?
TL;DR: The case describes how one of the company's employees was tasked with implementing a streamlined sales process, which heavily depended on the supporting IT systems, and discusses the transcendent nature of IT competencies in business process management projects and positions them against possible governance structures.
Abstract: This case illustrates and discusses the issues and challenges at Kerrtec Corporation and their effort to establish process-centric IT management. The case describes how one of the company's employees was tasked with implementing a streamlined sales process, which heavily depended on the supporting IT systems. The paper describes how the implementation project provided directions for improving global competencies to work across boundaries between business and IT in order to successfully manage business processes. The case emphasizes the importance of IT in process management, but at the same time highlights the organizational challenges faced by companies willing to supply their process initiatives with the right blend of IT and business process expertise. Specifically, it discusses the transcendent nature of IT competencies in business process management projects and positions them against possible governance structures.
TL;DR: In the era of health care reforms, the executives and CEO of the SBC Company are faced with many questions about the impact of these changes on their market share and the impact on prices they can charge for their services.
Abstract: In the era of health care reforms, the executives and CEO of the SBC Company are faced with many questions. They wonder about the impact of these changes on their market share. They also wanted to determine the impact on prices they can charge for their services. The changes in the ways the health care will be bought were causing a rapid transformation in the behavior of the consumers. The executives determined that they need to focus on specific areas to keep abreast of all the changes. These will have a profound impact on the information technology implementation across the company. For example, the need for analyzing a large amount of data and data in real time was becoming acute among many departments; there was a need for different skillsets in the employees in almost all the departments across the company. These changes across the industry were presenting new and unique challenges to the executive team.
TL;DR: Given the school board's proposed spending initiative, the entire school community appears to be debating how to spend this money and what future interactive whiteboards may have in their schools and classrooms.
Abstract: T. McDonough Central School District, located in a small city in upstate New York, is looking to invest some of its budget in new resources for Hawkins Elementary School. The School Board is strongly considering equipping each classroom in the school with interactive whiteboards. However, prior to doing so, the Board is inquiring about how the technology is currently being used. They are seeking input from teachers, students, parents, and other faculty members who have been exposed to the technology about this large-scale budget decision. For each stakeholder, the value and usefulness of the interactive whiteboards are different. Given the school board's proposed spending initiative, the entire school community appears to be debating how to spend this money and what future interactive whiteboards may have in their schools and classrooms.
TL;DR: The VP and CIO of St. Luke's University Health Network wants to ensure that IT is a partner with the business in enabling new health care delivery models while controlling rapidly increasing costs.
Abstract: The VP and CIO of St. Luke's University Health Network wants to ensure that IT is a partner with the business in enabling new health care delivery models while controlling rapidly increasing costs. They face the challenge of maintaining existing resources while keeping up with rapid advances in information technology that provide opportunities to transform health care delivery. The VP/CIO wants to insure that new applications are in line with the strategic objectives of the health network. Instituting appropriate project management and governance strategies are critical to achieving this goal as is educating the business users on the role of information systems in health care today.