title: Making the pieces fit. After assembling their care networks, systems' next big challenge is to build a unifying information infrastructure.
abstract: Five years into a manic pace of consolidation, hospital-based health delivery systems across the country are feeling the pressure to establish computer networks to unite all sites and services. In the campaign to lift healthcare out of an era of paper and pencil, organizations have spent freely on healthcare software applications. But computer pros say that's not enough.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morrissey
mesh_terms: D002201:Capital Expenditures; D003195:Computer Communication Networks / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017046:Cost Savings; D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D006273:Health Facility Merger / Q000458:organization & administration; D006751:Hospital Information Systems / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007449:Investments; D012984:Software; D018511:Systems Integration; D018581:Technology Transfer; D014481:United States