Table 5.
Calculation of Overall Product Score for Product B
| 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 | 18.5 | ||||
| Supports online access to data from all previous episodes of care | 6.20 | 9.33 | 57.85 | 93.30 | ||
| System availability | 6.40 | 9.22 | 59.02 | 92.22 | ||
| Supports clinical decision making (alerts, online reference, etc.) | 7.80 | 9.11 | 71.06 | 91.10 | ||
| Easy movement within and between patient records | 5.50 | 8.67 | 47.66 | 86.66 | ||
| Transaction time (quick response time) | 7.00 | 8.44 | 59.11 | 84.44 | ||
| Contains features that improve caregiver productivity | 4.50 | 8.22 | 37.00 | 82.22 | ||
| Provides online Help at screen and field level | 5.80 | 7.56 | 43.82 | 75.56 | ||
| Attractive user interface | 3.80 | 7.33 | 27.87 | 73.33 | ||
| Number of screen flips per transaction is minimal | 4.00 | 7.33 | 29.33 | 73.33 | ||
| Supports free text entry of data | 4.44 | 6.56 | 29.10 | 65.55 | ||
| Ease of creation of department/personal order sets | 8.40 | 5.89 | 49.46 | 58.88 | ||
| Flexible and personalized views of data, including graphic display | 5.60 | 5.78 | 32.35 | 57.77 | ||
| Computer-based training available | 8.78 | 4.67 | 40.97 |
46.66 |
||
| 584.60 | 981.02 | |||||
| 2. Basis for electronic patient record: | 24 | 13.4 | ||||
| Supports ad hoc user access to clinical data | 2.70 | 9.88 | 26.66 | 98.75 | ||
| Provides unique encounter identifier | 6.30 | 9.38 | 59.06 | 93.75 | ||
| Can merge records | 3.90 | 9.00 | 35.10 | 90.00 | ||
| Security of system | 7.56 | 8.50 | 64.26 | 85.00 | ||
| Appointments: strength of scheduling function | 8.89 | 8.38 | 74.45 | 83.75 | ||
| Usability of system management tools | 4.78 | 8.25 | 39.44 |
82.50 |
||
| 298.97 | 533.75 | |||||
| 3. Proven product/stable vendor/future directions: | 15 | 11.1 | ||||
| Confidence in vendor's ability to provide ongoing support | 8.80 | 9.22 | 81.15 | 92.22 | ||
| Confidence in vendor's ability to provide implementation support | 9.40 | 8.89 | 83.55 | 88.88 | ||
| Futures: technology and development | 6.40 | 8.78 | 56.19 | 87.80 | ||
| Willingness to adapt the product quickly | 5.90 | 8.33 | 49.16 | 83.33 | ||
| Comprehensiveness of hospital starter set | 8.40 | 7.33 | 61.60 | 73.33 | ||
| Prospects for joint product development | 4.30 | 6.94 | 29.86 | 69.44 | ||
| Strong and active user group | 8.90 | 4.56 | 40.54 | 45.55 | ||
| Total number of installations | 7.60 | 2.89 | 21.95 | 28.88 | ||
| Number of sites installed in Canada | 6.00 | 2.33 | 14.00 |
23.33 |
||
| 438.00 | 592.76 | |||||
| 4. Fully integrated product: | 11 | 4.6 | ||||
| Provides tools to create specialty databases with main database | 4.00 | 9.00 | 36.00 | 90.00 | ||
| Emergency room functionality available | 4.10 | 8.67 | 35.53 | 86.67 | ||
| Availability of integrated ancillary subsystems | 4.40 | 7.22 | 31.78 |
72.22 |
||
| 103.31 | 248.89 | |||||
| 5. Basis for re-engineering work processes: | 10 | 7.7 | ||||
| Electronic patient record | 6.60 | 9.67 | 63.80 | 96.66 | ||
| Supports physician-driven order communication | 8.90 | 8.89 | 79.10 |
88.88 |
||
| 142.90 | 185.54 | |||||
| 6. Financial payback: | 9 | 5.4 | ||||
| Provides timely alerts/advice that support cost containment | 6.00 | 9.33 | 56.00 |
93.33 |
||
| 56.00 | 93.33 | |||||
| Overall product score for Product A: | 100 | 60.7 |
*
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 B is: (584.60/981.02) × 31 = 18.5.