title: Conceptual challenges for advancing the socio-technical underpinnings of health informatics.
abstract: This discussion paper considers the adoption of socio-technical perspectives and their theoretical and practical influence within the discipline of health informatics. The paper highlights the paucity of discussion of the philosophy, theory and concepts of socio-technical perspectives within health informatics. Instead of a solid theoretical base from which to describe, study and understand human-information technology interactions we continue to have fragmented, unelaborated understandings. This has resulted in a continuing focus on technical system performance and increasingly managerial outputs to the detriment of social and technical systems analysis. It has also limited critical analyses and the adaptation of socio-technical approaches beyond the immediate environment to the broader social systems of contemporary society, an expansion which is increasingly mandated in today's complex health environment.
authors: University Department of Rural Health, Tasmania, Locked Bag 1372, Launceston, Australia.
authors: Sue
authors: S
authors: Whetton
authors: Andrew
authors: A
authors: Georgiou
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