Impact of NHS digitisation investigated

Posted in News on the April 26th, 2007

The impact of the digitisation of health information on patients, staff and managers across the NHS has been investigated.

A survey of 200 patients and their representatives, clinicians and other healthcare professionals focused on the perceptions of digital libraries and new technologies that are now used for patient information, patient booking and patient record systems.

It found that attention needed to be focused on a number of areas.

These included ensuring that technologies fit with established working practices, that they are not at odds with the values of staff, that users trust the technology and that the technology doesn’t undermine workers’ pride in their knowledge.

Professor Ann Blandford, who carried out the study with Professor Peter Lunt, said: "Technologies can empower users and support their working practices, facilitate effective communication and improve efficiency.

"However, if the shift toward the digitisation of health information is to result in improved performance and quality of life, then it is essential to understand the interrelationships between technology design and deployment and the roles and relationships of the users of that technology," she added.

The research is part of the ‘Co-evolving roles and technologies in the NHS: barrier and forces for changes’ research project.

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