What Causes the IT Alignment Gap Between Clinical and Administrative Elements of Healthcare?
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Description:
Healthcare information systems have historically been administrative systems, with responsibility for financial viability of the healthcare organization. Currently there exists a distinction in the level of automation that has taken place on the administrative verses the clinical side of healthcare. Information technology systems that are utilized for clinical healthcare have unique requirements as well as legislative mandates for patient privacy, confidentiality /security. Coupled with these are the complex nature of the data and the way that it needs to be communicated.
A preliminary study has been conducted that suggests that there are non-monetary factors that contribute to the gaps in adoption of information technology on the clinical side of healthcare. Inhibitors were identified that precluded clinicians from embracing the technology that could help them implement the technology solutions. These findings suggest that functionality, user-friendliness and system integration as well as faster system response time are major concerns retarding implementation of clinical information technology solutions. This continuing research will seek to identify information technology solutions for clinical healthcare practitioners that address agility and flexibility, while adhering to the construct that are necessary for secure and confidential data.