Why Enterprise Architecture (EA) in health system?

Very complex business networks, clusters and organizations need EA to allocate resources, manage projects, govern and classify data, develop IT standards, check their business capabilities, prioritize their strategies. EA helps organizations to align their business strategies and values with IT assets and capacities. In this sense, EA is very related with improving and transforming healthcare system. Healthcare strategic, tactical and operational planning can be improved by EA related activities: systems development, systems analysis, systems design, network design, cyber-security, and data design and administration, but also non-IT things like strategic planning, business process reengineering, change management, human resources planning, security and continuity planning, innovation and transformation, financial systems and controls planning.

Simply, EA focuses on the process of aligning business's strategic vision with its information technology. It connects different business units for synergistic communication and collaboration, creating a more seamless customer (or end-user) experience.

In health system, there are many reasons why EA will be helpful:

Improving performance and health outcomes

The quality of an organization's process execution and analytical insights is directly dependent on interoperability, automation, data quality, and timeliness. If you want to build a performance-oriented health delivery machine, EA provides the engine and fuel.

Controlling costs

EA has a proven track record of helping organizations control operational expenditures and increase return on assets through reductions in hardware purchasing, software licensing, staff training, and support costs. EA is good business regardless of transformational goals.

Protecting profitability

Health organizations are increasingly carrying higher financial risks. These risks are compounded when spending does not address sustainable capability creation and instead erodes margins.

Managing security and risk

For all the right reasons, ACOs and PCMHs often increase the number of people, processes, and systems involved in care delivery. But complexity is the enemy of security. EA offers a means of controlling risks.

Encouraging better planning

Quality and consistency go hand in hand. In the face of rising care practice and business model diversity, frontline practitioners need consistent processes for treating and managing patients. EA provides a common framework for both defining and operationalizing the to-be state of the business.

*In writing this article these sources were used.

http://www.cio.com/article/2439397/it-organization/the-rising-importance-of-the- enterprise-architect.html

http://www.informationweek.com/healthcare/leadership/where-is-enterprise- architecture-in-healthcare/d/d-id/898882