Computer Rx: more harm than good?

Clinical information systems (CIS) are health care technologies that can assist clinicians and clinical managers to improve the performance of health care organizations. However, failure to consider scientific evidence of efficacy, effectiveness, and efficiency when selecting CISs is one factor explaining the adoption of systems that do not improve either the quality or efficiency of patient care. This paper discusses a technology assessment framework that can assist decision-makers to evaluate alternative CISs. Existing methodologies developed to evaluate diagnostic and therapeutic technologies can be used by researchers to provide evidence needed by decision-makers at each step of the framework. The rigorous evaluation of CISs prior to their implementation can help decision-makers to avoid adopting "white elephants."