Accenture on the information governance challenge for health IT

Accenture has published a thought-leadership report on the Information Governance (data privacy, confidentiality, security, quality and integrity) challenges posed by e-health solutions.

Accenture argues that “standalone e-health systems deliver clinical and administrative benefits but do not enable organisations to realize the full potential of e-health. To deliver the greatest possible value in terms of cost reduction and improved health outcomes, disparate health care management systems, telemedicine solutions and health information platforms must be able to securely and effectively share data [...] Doing so requires health networks that connect public health agencies, provider organizations, hospitals, clinics, diagnostic laboratories, health service commissioners and individual clinicians. To achieve this level of integration, some organizations have invested heavily in integrated health information solutions.”
Accenture argues: “While the importance and benefits of sharing health information are widely recognised, organisations have struggled to implement effective EHR solutions. Complex technical, organisational, regulatory and cultural challenges have increased implementation risks and led to relatively high solution failure rates.”
In terms of boosting success rates, Accenture points to the need for a robust information governance policy in place. Accenture's report suggests: “By embracing the breadth of information governance, e-health practitioners can develop effective policies, processes and tools that support the enterprise-wide adoption of common information principles. This consolidated approach to information governance enables health care organisations to effectively manage, maintain and control patient information in support of robust patient care.”