Need for ICTs Assessment in the Health Sector: A Multidimensional Framework

What are the various impacts of a massive deployment of ICT solutions in the health sector on the objectives of various initiators, investors, and project developers? To get the answer to this question, a robust and multidimensional model needed to be developed to evaluate planned technology projects. This model also had to be of use in making decisions on expanding these technologies. Some authors have presented models based on the HTA (Health Technology Assessment) method which they anticipate completing. This article presents a universal multi-criteria and multidimensional ICT evaluation model: GEMSA, Grille d'Evaluation Multidisciplinaire Santé Autonomie [Multidimensional Evaluation Grid for Health and Autonomy]. The medico-social sector which relies on evaluation procedures to identify needs and determine the means of compensation favourably welcomes this method to refine the available methods. The proposed evaluation framework is based on five specific categories: strategy, technology, quality and usage, organization and economics. Actual tests have been performed to validate the operational value of the grid and to implement indicator measurement