Information technology sophistication in health care: an instrument validation study among Canadian hospitals

Several empirical studies have shown that the use of computer-based informa tion systems could have positive impacts on organizational performance. Man y agree to say that health care organizations are no exceptions. But if one wishes to identify the effects of information technology (IT) on the deliv ery of care, one must be able to characterize IT for operationalization pur poses. The primary objective of this research project is to develop and val idate a measurement instrument of IT sophistication in the hospital milieu. Such instrument should provide hospital managers with a diagnostic tool ca pable of indicating the profile of their respective institutions in regard to IT adoption and comparing this profile to those of other similar medical centers. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected in order to assess the psychometric properties of the measurement instrument. Overall, findings suggest a high-moderate level of functional sophistication, a som ewhat low level of technological sophistication, and an even lower level of integration sophistication in all of the sampled medical centers. Hence, f uture investments shall therefore be directed towards the integration of cl inical and administrative applications and the acquisition of more advanced technological devices, more specifically those, which allow direct capture of clinical data at the bedside. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. Al l rights reserved.