CHINs in the context of an evolving health care system.

Community Health Information Network (CHIN) developments have slowed, due to the chaotic change in the health care system and stakeholders' attendant short-sighted focus. CHINs are a long-term investment that is necessary for the health care system's evolution to maturity. Several arenas of essential CHIN activity are given that would be characteristic of a mature, goal-directed health care system Lack of enterprise-wide computer-based patient record systems is a major barrier. Even in the short term, however, trends and incentives exist that are likely to push stakeholders toward CHIN development. Some of these trends include changes in organizational structure and political pressures. Practical incentives include the need for stakeholder cooperation to achieve healthy communities, the prospects for telemedicine, and the demand for greater quality assurance.