The need for independent evaluations of government-led health information technology initiatives

摘要: England's National Programme for Information Technology (NPfIT) was at the time of its launch in 2002 dubbed most ambitious and expensive civilian health information technology (HIT) project history.1 Then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, championed project, with aim creating a digitised, interoperable, infrastructure that would transform healthcare delivery, achieve major improvements outcomes and, same time, substantially reduce government expenditure on healthcare. The study by Franklin et al 2 represents long-awaited independent academic evaluation Electronic Prescription Service (EPS), core component NPfIT aimed to need patients manually transfer paper prescriptions provided their general practitioners dispensing pharmacies more importantly, diminish medication errors thereby improve patient outcomes. evaluated impact electronic transmission between prescribers pharmacies, but found no benefit. In fact, an even higher prevalence labelling transmitted electronically, this mostly accounted practices single pharmacy. Notably, were already being generated electronically before EPS.2 As earlier evaluations functionality, delays implementation adoption HIT, substantial usability challenges—reflecting both design limitations inadequate attention redesign clinical workflows—and unrealistic expectations about speed scale anticipated benefits.3 Moreover, related body work reporting other functionalities—namely NHS Care Records Service,4 Summary Record …