Computer deployment in the health services of developed and developing countries : a comparative case study of the UK and Oman

Organisations are increasingly deploying and using computer technology in various ways, involving the allocation of large amounts of capital and human resources. However, in many cases, computer deployment has been accompanied by failure, particularly in health care services. Therefore, information technology has raised grave questions, misunderstanding, fears, and hostility.This study emphasises the importance of computer deployment and development in developed and developing countries' health care services with examples from advanced and less advanced nations. It describes strategy development for IT/ISs using information system methodologies and explores the development of ISs strategy in the NHS in the light of fundholding and the internal market. A number of problems that commonly influence the success or failure of computer deployment and development are identified. These issues are explained through two case studies: the Omani health system and General Practices (GPRs) in the UK, which have introduced computers.The research focuses on five main sets of issues related to computer deployment and utilisation in health care: strategic planning; computer utilisation; computer fears; computer impact; and computer technical problems and performance. Users' overall satisfaction with systems in use is also considered.Data collection was carried out using two surveys. One survey was conducted in GPRs in Humberside and the other conducted in Royal Hospital and Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in Oman. Data sources included observations, review of relevant documents, such as reports, research papers and manuals, structured and non-structured interviews with selected users and a questionnaire.A number of conclusions can been drawn from this study: firstly, computer deployment, utilisation and development still faces problems in both the systems studied, more especially the Omani system. Secondly, GPRs have carried out strategic planning for computer deployment and utilisation and are prepared to use information ...