INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES WITHIN THE CANCER INFORMATION-SERVICE - FACTORS RELATED TO INNOVATION ADOPTION

Background This collaborative study, conducted by members of the Cance r Information Service Research Consortium Team for Evaluation and Audi t Methods and the Network Analysis Advisory Board, is part of a larger project that evaluates the impact of communication structure on innov ation within the contractual network of the Cancer Information Service (CIS). This study examines four different technological innovations w ith respect to the characteristics of relative advantage, compatibilit y, observability, complexity trial-ability, adaptability, riskiness, d isadvantage, computer knowledge, and acceptance. Methods. Data were ga thered from self-report questionnaires completed in May 1995 by organi zational members (n = 82) within the National Cancer Institute's CIS, a geographically dispersed federal government health information progr am.Results. Paired comparison t tests found that organizational member s rate contrasting dimensions of an innovation differentially, dependi ng on the nature of the specific technology. For example, significantl y lower levels of riskiness were reported for computerization for comm unication (e.g., e-mail) than for computerization for telephone servic e or outreach. In addition, computerization for office management had significantly lower levels of riskiness than computerization for telep hone service or outreach. With respect to complexity, computerization for communication had significantly lower ratings than did outreach. I n terms of observability and trialability, computerization for communi cation had significantly lower ratings than for telephone service. Wit h respect to relative advantage, computerization for office management had significantly lower ratings than all other areas of computerizati on. In terms of computer knowledge, ratings were significantly higher for communication than for all other areas of computerization. No sign ificant differences were found between contrasting innovations for ada ptability or acceptance. Conclusions. Results suggest that organizatio nal members rate contrasting dimensions of an innovation differentiall y, depending on the nature of the specific innovation. Managers can em ploy this information as a diagnostic tool to evaluate the fit of an i nnovation, anticipate problems arising as a result of innovation, and modify innovations to reflect the changes that stakeholders deem neces sary. Computerization efforts such as this one are at the cutting edge of efforts to improve the dissemination of information to the public. These efforts can result in considerable improvements in public healt h. (C) 1998 American Health Foundation and Academic Press.