Towards a model for improving adoption and utilization of health information systems in healthcare delivery: case studies Nakasero Hospital and Savannah Sunrise Medical Centre

Abstract

This study was about the development of a proposed model to improve adoption and utilisation of Health Information Systems (HISs) in Healthcare Delivery. It involved reviewing various literature about the perceptions of healthcare professionals towards health information systems adoption and utilisation and critical success factors for the adoption and utilisation of health information systems. Furthermore, it also included the review of the various existing IT adoption and utilisation models, theories and frameworks together with their comparison. Two case studies were selected for purposes of this study; Nakasero Hospital and Savannah Sunrise Medical Center. These case studies were investigated with specific focus on gaining an in-depth understanding of the adoption and utilisation of HISs in healthcare institutions. Questionnaires, focus group discussions, interviews and document analysis were the main instruments for data collection. Data was analyzed qualitatively using Colaizzi‘s 1978 framework for qualitative data analysis. The analysis of the results indicated that a number of factors that affect the adoption and utilisation of technology were not well considered by these two case studies. Some of the challenges faced include; User resistance, absence of risk managing planning, insufficient resources, incomplete HIS roll out in the organisation, insufficient assessment of the organisation context, lack of HIS adoption readiness assessment in the organisation among others. Based on the findings from this study, a proposed IT Model capable of improving the adoption and utilisation of HISs in healthcare institutions was developed. In developing this model, focus was put on clearly specifying the different phases of HIS adoption and utilisation together with the key considerations for each phase. It was based on The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) which represents best practice for adoption and utilisation of Information and Communication Technologies. Although the proposed solution is expected to improve the adoption and utilisation of health information systems for healthcare delivery, there is need for ascertaining and confirming its ability and effectiveness in improving HIS adoption and Utilisation. In this regard, further research is needed to test and evaluate this model in live environments of various health institutions.