J Korean Soc Med Inform.  1997 Jun;3(1):37-47.

Economic Analysis of Electronic Patient Record

• Kang SH
• Chung YI
• Chae YM

Abstract

This study was carried out to analyse the economic feasibility of EPR. A hospital with 500 beds under the construction was selected for this study. The economic effect was performed with cost-benefit analysis for 5 years from the year 1998 to 2002. The results of this study were as follows; The economic effect of EPR was classified into direct benefit, value acceleration, and value linking. Each factor was applied and analyzed step by step. In the analysis including only direct benefit, the net present value and the ratio of benefit to cost were minus 82,920,000 won and 0.8. With this traditional cost-benefit analysis alone, the EPR in hospital can be regarded as very unprofitable. However, when value acceleration was added, the net present value and the ratio of benefit to cost rose to 748,637,000 won and 2.7 respectively. Moreover, when value linking was added, the net present value and the ratio of benefit to cost were 1,473,162,000 won and 4.3, respectively. In the results of this study, as EPR has only direct benefit, EPR can be regarded as unprofitable project. However, when value acceleration and value linking were added, EPR can be profitable project.

Keyword

Electronic Patient Record; Information Economics; Economic analysis

MeSH Terms

Acceleration
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Humans