Facilitating applied information technology research.

Abstract

Most healthcare organizations need to develop an understanding of the role, maturity, and utility of new information technologies. Performing this research can present a series of challenges. For example, IT staff may not know how to obtain resources; the research may show promising results but fail to be implemented; and organizations may not develop a thoughtful portfolio of research projects. To minimize these problems, applied information technology research must be managed. This paper describes the information technology research process at Partners HealthCare. The research process is a management process designed to identify important research topics, solicit IT staff proposals to investigate topics, prioritize and fund research projects, and communicate and disseminate research results. Sample research topics include the role of RFID, the impact of Internet-based e-visits, and approaches for integrating speech and direct input for clinical information systems. The paper describes the goals and activities of the research process and the role of the research council. The research proposal review process is discussed, and an inventory of approved research projects is reviewed. The paper discusses several challenges involved in creating and managing the research process.