Successful database benchmarking: what do we need?
As the technology of on-line healthcare information advances, hospitals and data vendors are faced with a variety of challenges. What are the accepted standard fields? What kind of DSS system should we use? Which system will give us the information we need? Does the server have enough space to handle increased business? Healthcare organizations are now looking at comparative information through the Internet instead of buying data and loading it onto their own servers. They are asking: Are servers necessary now? Is the software user-friendly? How current and accurate is the information being offered? How secure is the Web site it is on? Data vendors are asking: Is our server large enough to handle the volume of data we now have and as the company grows? How do we make sure the data are accurate? How do we keep the data secure? This article educates and informs healthcare facilities about the factors that should be considered when comparing their own data with those of other hospitals in an on-line benchmarking database warehouse.