Technology, work, and information flows: lessons from the implementation of a wireless alert pager system.
The combination of collaborative work practices and information technology affect the flow of information in clinical settings. The introduction of a new technology into these settings can change not only established work practices but also the information flows. In this paper, we examine the introduction of a wireless alerts pager in a surgical intensive care unit (SICU). Through a qualitative study, we analyze the effects that this new information tool had on both the work practices in the SICU and the information flow in the unit. We describe four challenges that SICU staff members faced with respect to the alerts pagers. We found that the pager provided new routes of information to SICU staff but in doing so disrupted existing work practices and information flows.
Reddy
Madhu C
MC
School of Management and Information Systems, University of Missouri-Rolla, 106D Fulton Hall, Rolla, MO 65409-0320, USA. mreddy@umr.edu
McDonald
David W
DW
Pratt
Wanda
W
Shabot
M Michael
MM
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003422:Critical Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006747:Hospital Communication Systems / Q000458:organization & administration*; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods*; D017010:Reminder Systems / Q000295:instrumentation; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical; D013685:Telecommunications / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States; D014584:User-Computer Interface