Justifying the cost of a computer-based patient record.

Computer-based patient records (CPRs) that integrate financial and clinical information are important tools for improving the quality and lowering the cost of care. However, purchasing, implementing, and maintaining a CPR requires a significant investment that must be justified. At The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, a cost-benefit analysis of a CPR involved identifying the goals of a CPR, determining its quantifiable and nonquantifiable benefits, estimating its initial costs, projecting its costs and benefits over 10 years, calculating its net present value, and monitoring its results.