title: Improving a health information system for real-time data entries: An action research project using socio-technical systems theory.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper presents the findings of an action research (AR) project to improve a health information system (HIS) at the Operating Theater Department (OTD) of a National Health Service (NHS) hospital in South East England, the UK.
  
  
  METHODS
  Informed by socio-technical systems (STS) theory, AR was used to design an intervention to enhance an existing patient administration system (PAS) to enable data entries in real time while contributing to the literature. The study analyzed qualitative data collected through interviews, participant observations, and document reviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study found that the design of the PAS was unsuitable to the work of the three units of the OTD. Based on the diagnoses and STS theory, the project developed and implemented a successful intervention to enhance the legacy system for data entries in real time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study demonstrates the value of AR from a socio-technical perspective for improving existing systems in healthcare settings. The steps adopted in this study could be applied to improve similar systems. A follow-up study will be essential to assess the sustainability of the improved system.
authors.affiliation: a Birkbeck, University of London , Department of Computer Science and Information Systems , London , United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Godfried Bakiyem
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Adaba
authors.affiliation: a Birkbeck, University of London , Department of Computer Science and Information Systems , London , United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Yohannes
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kebebew
mesh_terms: D004282:Documentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D004739:England; D063005:Health Information Systems / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009873:Operating Rooms / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D013222:State Medicine; D013598:Systems Theory; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Action research (AR); health informatics; health information systems (HIS); patient administration system (PAS); socio-technical systems (STS) theory