DEVELOPMENT OF A SOFT SYSTEMS MODEL TO ANALYSE THE ROLE OF INFORMATION ON QUALITY OF HEALTH CARE

摘要

In the context of a health care system, information plays an important role, not only as an element inrna transformation process, but also in decision making and in quality of health care. A problem situationrnemerges when the role or impact of information on quality of health is to be assessed. This issue raisesrninteresting policy questions and has implications to quality of life and to the adequate design andrnmanagement of information systems.rnThis work summarizes the development of a model that was designed to analyse the impact of informationrnon quality health and to structure the information flows that may exist in a given health care system.rnSoft systems methodology (SSM) was used as an approach to design the model. Based on this model,rninformation can be analysed (1) at the structure, process and outcome levels of health; and (2) atrnprimary, secondary and tertiary levels of care.rnWhile further research is needed at different levels of resolution, it is estimated that through the inquiryrnprocess of SSM, results can contribute to identify a pathway whereby the value of information on qualityrnof health, be established.