A New Approach to Clinical IT Resistance: The Need for Information Technology Confidentially and Mobility

Information technology adds considerable value to modern organizations and healthcare is no exception. Information technology plays a major role in the financial viability of healthcare organizations, like hospitals, but while it is indispensable for hospital administration, the penetration of IT in clinical areas has been low. Although the administrative side of healthcare enjoys considerable computer support, the clinical side does not. Yet data on clinical errors of patient care, such as incorrect medical dosages, or even treatments, suggest automatic patient data processing could be beneficial. Electronic communication could make available critical health information that is currently often absent. To improve healthcare computer integration in the current U.S. e-health initiative, clinical IT support is a key area. But clinical healthcare providers often resist IT support. This has been attributed either to medical conservatism, the lack of IT ease of use, or both. However, doctors and nurses often use complex medical equipment, and in healthcare laboratories they have readily accepted computer support. We suggest a more valid reason for IT resistance may be that clinical healthcare has unique requirements, specifically data confidentiality and data mobility. The difficulty of combining these criteria in a single IT product may explain why clinical healthcare lags considerably behind administrative healthcare in IT support.