Digitising an Australian university hospital: qualitative analysis of staff-reported impacts.

ConclusionsThe overall positive perceptions of the effects of digitisation should give confidence to health services contemplating rapid digital transformation. Although existing literature provides a reliable framework for impact assessment, new effects are still emerging, and research and practice need to shift towards understanding how clinicians and hospitals can maximise the benefits of digital transformation.What is known about the topic?Hospitals outside the US are increasingly becoming engaged in eHealth transformations. Yet, the reported effects of these technologies are diverse and mixed with qualitative effects rarely reported.What does this paper add?This study provides a qualitative assessment of the effects of an eHealth transformation at a large Australian tertiary hospital. The results provide renewed confidence in the literature because the findings are largely consistent with expectations from prior systematic reviews of impacts. The qualitative approach followed also resulted in the identification of new effects, which included improvements in accountability, time management and individual development, as well as mixed results for real-time data. In addition, substantial improvements in patient outcomes and clinician productivity were reported from the secondary use of data within the eHealth systems.What are the implications for practitioners?The overall positive findings in this large case study should give confidence to other health services contemplatin...
Source: Australian Health Review - Category: Hospital Management Authors: Tags: Aust Health Rev Source Type: research