AN EVALUATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INFORMATION SYSTEM AT A REGIONAL HOSPITAL IN THE FREE STATE PROVINCE

摘要

This study aimed to evaluate the development and implementation of the information system (IS) at the Regional Hospital in the Free State (FS) province. The IS appears not to have been developed and implemented as originally intended, and, subsequently, has resulted in the inadequate functioning of the IS. A quantitative methodological approach was utilised to ascertain doctor’s (N = 62) and nurse’s (N = 186) perceptions, as IS end-users, of the development, maintenance, usability, and the performance of the IS system at the hospital. The doctors and nurses (as IS end-users) reported insufficient involvement in the process of the development and implementation of the Shared- Laboratory-Report-Tool (SLRT) system at the Regional Hospital in the FS province. Resultantly, the IS end-users were not involved in the general non-stage-specific involvement (e.g., inability to access and change passwords on the SLRT system), there is an absence of IS end-user support services (e.g., an absence IS end-user help-desk line, an absence of SLRT system manual or documentation, an absence of EUT, and so on) and IS end-users were not involved in the overall developmental stages of System Development Life Cycle (SDLC). For example, the doctors and nurses were not involved in feasibility studies such as determining IS end-user requirements and specifications and pre- and post- implementation preparatory processes). As a result, SLRT system is inadequate in delivering the intended objective of facilitating more effective and efficient healthcare service provision. Based on the results, it is recommended that formal evaluation procedures for determining the adequacy and efficacy of the IS are conducted and that end-users are consulted and included in the design and developmental process of the IS. Future research should focus on examining whether the required procedures were followed in implementing the IS and conducting failure analysis to objectively determine the current status of the IS.