Impact of enterprisewide data.

The article provides an overview of initiatives relating to enterprisewide data collection. It discusses the meaning behind the term enterprisewide data and describes how health care entities are working to make the goal of enterprisewide data a reality by evaluating and employing such technologies as electronic data interchange, automated medical payment systems, and computerized patient records. It concludes with a discussion of data standardization in the health care industry and some issues that must be addressed by a health care entity as it strives to create an enterprisewide data system.