The adoption of information systems in healthcare is no less significant than in any other commercial or caring organisation. The literature on IS adoption in healthcare, makes it clear that the actors involved in the adoption process are almost universally seen as crucial, which matches our research results too.However, how such actors should be identified remains a topic for investigatory work since these are early days in achieving this. We derive and propose a structured method to model how actors might be identified: structured because such a rationale is explicable and such a method is more readily usable when transferred to others. Our structured method, named IGOHcaps, uses a static and then a dynamic step to pull out the individual, group, organisational and human determinants of the critical actors. In this process, the individual actors' differing views emerge which could enable decision-making bodies to produce more robust proposals if they incorporated some of the appropriate views. We discuss the application of IGOHcaps through a hospital case study. While a single case study cannot be a proof, the engagement of the actors was encouraging.

Information technology (IT) is no longer perceived as just a supporting tool, but has become a strategic necessity for developing an integrated healthcare IT infrastructure that can improve services and reduce medical errors (Mantzana et al., 2007). Correspondingly, IT investments in the health sector have increased dramatically (Carpenter, 2005) and are expected to rise further over the near term (HIMSS Analytics, 2007).Yet the current focus on IT infrastructure describes only part of the transformation of healthcare information systems (HIS) that will be necessary to achieve service quality goals. It has long been accepted in the information systems (IS) discipline that effective development combines understanding of the people who use it and the processes through which organizations apply IT, as well as the IT infrastructure itself. Because of this multi-faceted perspective, we propose that IS researchers will be able to contribute to future advances in HIS in a number of ways that transcend a simplistic focus on technology.The objective of this special issue is to demonstrate how the IS discipline can aid in shaping the future of HIS through empirical and theoretical research. Healthcare organizations face multiple future hurdles that IS researchers are well-equipped to study (Wilson & Lankton, 2004;Chiasson et al., 2007). Prominent among these hurdles are: applying IT to improve the quality of healthcare processes and reduce medical errors; developing e-services to connect healthcare stakeholders, including government, insurers, healthcare administrators, clinical staff, and patients; identifying obstacles to acceptance and continued use of HIS; adapting user-centered design principles to healthcare settings; assessing financial and other organizational impacts of IT in healthcare; and managing HIS effectively.In addition, the healthcare sector provides a largely unexplored setting for IS researchers to develop, refine, and extend IS theories. Recent reviews of the IS literature suggest there are substantial opportunities for new HIS research. Chiasson & Davidson (2004) reviewed 17 leading IS journals from 1985 to 2003 to identify contributions to HIS research, finding a total of 165 papers. As presented in Table 1, Cho (2007) has updated their review to include the period from 2004 to 2006. Chiasson & Davidson (2004) established four categories to organize published HIS studies based on how IS theory and the healthcare context were addressed. IS-Only papers focus on generalizable theory without specific consideration of the healthcare context. IS theories may be applied, but these papers do not explore how the healthcare context might influence theoretical constructs or assumptions. Healthcare-Only papers focus on describing the design, development, implementation, and use of information-intensive technologies in healthcare without significant application of IS theories. IS-Healthcare papers primarily focus on developing or testing IS theories with secondary consideration given to interactions with the heal...

Recent developments in the field of integration technologies like Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) have emerged to support organizations towards improving the quality of services and reducing integration costs. Despite the importance of EAI, there is limited empirical research reported on its adoption in the healthcare sector. Khoumbati et al. [2006] developed a model for the evaluation of EAI in healthcare organizations. In doing so, the causal interrelationship of EAI adoption factors was identified by using fuzzy cognitive mapping. This paper is a progression of previous work in the area and seeks to contribute by validating the model through a different case environment. Thus, this paper contributes by deriving and proposing the MAESTRO model for EAI adoption. MAESTRO identifies a set of factors that influence EAI adoption and it is evaluated through a real-life case study. It provides an understanding of the EAI adoption process through its grounding on empirical data. In doing so, the MAESTRO model supports the management of healthcare organizations during the decision-making process for EAI adoption.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine a model that supports the management, design and delivery of Healthcare Information Systems (HIS) training activities for older healthcare employees.Design/methodology/approachThe study is carried out by means of a quantitative study.FindingsThe paper investigated older employees training management in Healthcare Information Systems and proposed a novel model. The model was tested by 139 healthcare employees and it was found that: older healthcare employees need to be trained on HIS; older healthcare employees should be trained by combining new technologies and considering theories on older employees training; given the many other pressures on today's clinicians, and health care workers' relative lack of experience with computing, there should be a well organized and managed training process; and healthcare organizations should realize the benefits to be gained by well managed training processes and should support their employees.Research limitations/implicationsAt the theoretical level the paper extends the body of literature and it proposes a validated model that can be replicable.Originality/valueAt the practical level this research demonstrated that by using the proposed model older employees in the healthcare sector can be trained on Healthcare Information System in a more organized way, can improve their skills, and can seek new career paths.

This paper focuses on Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) adoption in healthcare organisations. EAI has emerged to support organisations overcoming their integration problems, and it has been adopted by many sectors. Despite its importance, the healthcare sector develops EAI solutions at a slower pace and can be characterised as a laggard compared to other sectors. The small number of EAI applications in healthcare has resulted in limited research in this area, with many issues requiring further investigation. The normative literature analyses the factors that influence EAI adoption in healthcare but it has not yet explored the role of actors during the adoption process. This paper makes a step forward and contributes to the body of knowledge as it: (a) highlights the role of healthcare actors and attitudes towards EAI adoption; (b) introduces an actor-oriented approach; (c) identifies those actors involved in this process; and (d) combines the actor-oriented approach with the factors influencing EAI adoption. The authors believe that such an approach is significant and novel as it: (a) enhances existing EAI adoption models by incorporating an actor-oriented analysis; and (b) facilitates healthcare organisations in making robust decisions for EAI adoption. The authors discuss the application of their approach through a hospital case study. While a single case study alone cannot be proof, the engagement of the actors was encouraging.

No abstract

No abstract

Her research focuses on the integration of healthcare information systems.