Table 4.
Calculation of Overall Product Score for Product A
| Mean of Consensus Round | Criterion Weight | Product Criterion Score | Maximum Criterion Score | Maximum Goal Weight Score | Product Goal Weight Score* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Designed for direct use by caregivers: | 31 | 25.2 | ||||
| Supports online access to data from all previous episodes of care | 9.50 | 9.33 | 88.64 | 93.30 | ||
| System availability | 9.50 | 9.22 | 87.61 | 92.22 | ||
| Supports clinical decision making (alerts, online reference, etc.) | 8.70 | 9.11 | 79.26 | 91.10 | ||
| Easy movement within and between patient records | 9.10 | 8.67 | 78.86 | 86.66 | ||
| Transaction time (quick response time) | 6.67 | 8.44 | 56.32 | 84.44 | ||
| Contains features that improve caregiver productivity | 9.30 | 8.22 | 76.46 | 82.22 | ||
| Provides online Help at screen and field level | 9.30 | 7.56 | 70.27 | 75.56 | ||
| Attractive user interface | 8.80 | 7.33 | 64.53 | 73.33 | ||
| Number of screen flips per transaction is minimal | 8.89 | 7.33 | 65.19 | 73.33 | ||
| Supports free text entry of data | 7.90 | 6.56 | 51.78 | 65.55 | ||
| Ease of creation of department/personal order sets | 5.90 | 5.89 | 34.74 | 58.88 | ||
| Flexible and personalized views of data, including graphic display | 7.00 | 5.78 | 40.44 | 57.77 | ||
| Computer-based training available | 0.56 | 4.67 | 2.61 |
46.66 |
||
| 796.71 | 981.02 | |||||
| 2. Basis for electronic patient record: | 24 | 19.6 | ||||
| Supports ad hoc user access to clinical data | 9.1 | 9.88 | 89.86 | 98.75 | ||
| Provides unique encounter identifier | 8.7 | 9.38 | 81.56 | 93.75 | ||
| Can merge records | 9.6 | 9.00 | 86.40 | 90.00 | ||
| Security of system | 6.56 | 8.50 | 55.76 | 85.00 | ||
| Appointments: strength of scheduling function | 6 | 8.38 | 50.25 | 83.75 | ||
| Usability of system management tools | 8.78 | 8.25 | 72.44 |
82.50 |
||
| 436.27 | 533.75 | |||||
| 3. Proven product/stable vendor/future directions: | 15 | 10.8 | ||||
| Confidence in vendor's ability to provide ongoing support | 8.2 | 9.22 | 75.62 | 92.22 | ||
| Confidence in vendor's ability to provide implementation support | 7.2 | 8.89 | 63.99 | 88.88 | ||
| Futures: technology and development | 9.3 | 8.78 | 81.65 | 87.80 | ||
| Willingness to adapt the product quickly | 8.3 | 8.33 | 69.16 | 83.33 | ||
| Comprehensiveness of hospital starter set | 6.5 | 7.33 | 47.66 | 73.33 | ||
| Prospects for joint product development | 8 | 6.94 | 55.55 | 69.44 | ||
| Strong and active user group | 4.6 | 4.555 | 20.95 | 45.55 | ||
| Total number of installations | 3.6 | 2.888 | 10.40 | 28.88 | ||
| Number of sites installed in Canada | 0.8 | 2.333 | 1.87 |
23.33 |
||
| 426.86 | 592.76 | |||||
| 4. Fully integrated product: | 11 | 9.3 | ||||
| Provides tools to create specialty databases with main database | 9 | 9 | 81.00 | 90.00 | ||
| Emergency room functionality available | 7.4 | 8.667 | 64.14 | 86.67 | ||
| Availability of integrated ancillary subsystems | 9 | 7.222 | 65.00 |
72.22 |
||
| 210.13 | 248.89 | |||||
| 5. Basis for re-engineering work processes: | 10 | 8.4 | ||||
| Electronic patient record | 9.3 | 9.666 | 89.89 | 96.66 | ||
| Supports physician-driven order communication | 7.5 | 8.888 | 66.66 |
88.88 |
||
| 156.55 | 185.54 | |||||
| 6. Financial payback: | 9 | 7.7 | ||||
| Provides timely alerts/advice that support cost containment | 8.6 | 9.333 | 80.26 |
93.33 |
||
| 80.26 | 93.33 | |||||
| Overall product score for Product A: | 100 | 81.1 |
*
The product goal weight score (PGWS) was calculated as follows: 
where PCS is the product criterion score; MCS, the maximum criterion score; and MGWS, the maximum goal weight score. Thus, the PGWS for Goal 1 for Product A is: (796.71/981.02) × 31 = 25.2.