Does IT Matter?

This chapter centers around the idea of the strategic value that information systems can bring to an organization. Pay attention to the arguments around the idea of competitive advantage. After you read, reflect upon the arguments presented about the impact that information technology has on competitive advantage.

Sidebar: Isabel – A Health Care DSS

A discussed in the text, DSSs are best applied to semi-structured decisions, in which most of the needed inputs are known but human experience and environmental factors also play a role. A good example that is in use today is Isabel, a health care DSS. The creators of Isabel explain how it works:

Isabel uses the information routinely captured during your workup, whether free text or structured data, and instantaneously provides a diagnosis checklist for review. The checklist contains a list of possible diagnoses with critical Isabel uses the information routinely captured during your workup, whether free text or structured data, and instantaneously provides a diagnosis checklist for review. The checklist contains a list of possible diagnoses with critical "Don't Miss Diagnoses" flagged. When integrated into your EMR system Isabel can provide "one click" seamless diagnosis support with no additional data entry. Don't Miss Diagnoses" flagged. When integrated into your EMR system Isabel can provide "one click" seamless diagnosis support with no additional data entry.