Promoting health and improving health care in a cost-effective manner through a military digital library.
OBJECTIVE
The Virtual Naval Hospital (VNH) is a digital library designed to meet the information needs of U.S. Navy medical professionals. The goal of this study was to determine whether the VNH promoted health and improved patient care in a cost-effective manner.


METHODS
An economic analysis determining the costs and benefits from the perspective of the U.S. Navy was conducted. As part of this analysis, medical professionals were surveyed from February to August 2000.


RESULTS
Respondents used the VNH for a variety of professional activities (average, 8.2 h/wk). Respondents (70%) thought that VNH usage improved patient care. Medical providers thought it improved their diagnosis (70%) and treatment (60%). Respondents stated that the VNH affected 81 medical evacuations and 668 sick-in-quarter days. Overall content satisfaction was 94%. The VNH had a net savings of $143,848/yr and a cost/benefit ratio of 55.9%.


CONCLUSIONS
The VNH has a beneficial impact on the Navy's health care system by improving health promotion and patient care and by being economically cost-effective.
Center for Naval Analyses, Alexandria, VA 22311, USA.
Peter H
PH
Stoloff
Michael P
MP
D'Alessandro
Donna M
DM
D'Alessandro
Richard S
RS
Bakalar
D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003625:Data Collection; D006293:Health Promotion; D006772:Hospitals, Military; D006801:Humans; D046609:Libraries, Digital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008889:Military Personnel; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D014481:United States