DECISION-SUPPORT SYSTEMS WITHIN THE NHS - AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE APPLICATION OF CASE-MIX MANAGEMENT-SYSTEMS IN THE UK-NATIONAL-HEALTH-SERVICE

In a previous paper we examined the impact of Decision Support Systems in the context of organisational change, looking at a Socio-Technical Systems approach to the NHS. As part of the study we examined briefly the role of Case Mix Management Systems (CMMS) in the control of hospital costs. This paper represents the first stage of a longitudinal study examining the development of CMMS in the UK context over a period of three years and sets the agenda for the issues to be investigated and monitored. In analysing the interfaces between management and clinicians we have adopted a Socio-Technical approach.