Adoption and Assessment of Hospital Information Systems: A Study of Hospitals in Jalandhar

Abstract

There is a progressive integration of technology by different sectors of our economy so as to enhance the productivity and efficiency of the business operations. However, in the Indian health care sector, it is discouraging to observe that not much is being spent on the hospital information systems (HIS). Technology integration has the potential to not only accelerate the speed but also enhance the quality and efficiency of hospital operations. The present research aims to determine the degree of adoption of HIS in hospitals of Jalandhar city and also explores the barriers in HIS implementation. An attempt has been made to study the impact of different hospital-related variables on the adoption of HIS. To attain the purpose, a questionnaire survey was conducted on 31 hospitals of Jalandhar city and the data collected were analysed using percentages, cross-tabulation and chi-square test. Results revealed that a scanty percentage of hospitals in Jalandhar adopt HIS and that too primarily for clinical and administrative functions. However, an increased adoption of HIS was observed, with an increase in the size of the hospital in terms of its investment, number of employees and sales revenue. Greater infrastructure and financial requirements, rigorous staff training needs and reluctance of top management and medical specialists to implement the system emerged as the prominent barriers to HIS implementation. Nevertheless, a vast majority of hospitals adopting HIS were satisfied from its performance. The current research has strong implications and great value for hospital authorities. It not only determines the degree to which HIS is adopted in hospitals but also reviews the satisfaction derived from it. Its real value lies in identifying the specific problems or barriers that lead to the lower rate of HIS adoption.