Newswatch: February 2005

Historical data now available, for healthcare IT research

The HIMSS Foundation (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society of Chicago) announced it has received a generous donation from Sheldon Dorenfest, former president and CEO of Sheldon Dorenfest and Associates Ltd (Chicago).

Using the data from the donation-Dorenfest's company and its historical data assets-the foundation has formed the Dorenfest Institute for Health Information Technology Research and Education to further the interest in and benefits associated with ongoing research in healthcare IT. The new Dorenfest Institute will provide a variety of detailed historical data about IT use in hospitals and integrated healthcare delivery networks.

"Historically, IT investments in the healthcare industry have not produced the benefits that were forecasted," Dorenfest said. "The reasons for this outcome are very complex and are being addressed today by many research studies about healthcare IT use. I am happy and excited to work with the HIMSS Foundation to create the Dorenfest Institute to provide, without charge to eligible beneficiaries, this legacy of Dorenfest healthcare IT databases and market reports to support the research that is needed to improve outcomes from healthcare IT investment projects."

The donated data includes the entire library of Dorenfest 3,000-plus databases and Dorenfest integrated healthcare delivery system databases from 1986 through 2002. The data also includes many publications on IT use in the healthcare industry during that same time period. A complete listing of databases and publications from the Dorenfest Institute is available upon request from the HIMSS Foundation.

The foundation will work with student members and chapters of HIMSS, as well as the American Medical Informatics Association (Bethesda, Md), to contact academic researchers, faculty, and students regarding the availability and use of this free data. For more information on the Dorenfest Institute, contact . Looking for additional information about healthcare IT? Don't miss our cover story, "Service Rules."