Evaluation of the Electronic Transmission of Medical Findings from Hospitals to Practitioners by Triangulation

C. Machan; E. Ammenwerth; T. Schabetsberger

doi:10.1055/s-0038-1634055

Methods of Information in Medicine, Table of Contents

Methods Inf Med 2006; 45(02): 225-233
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1634055

Original Article

Schattauer GmbH

Evaluation of the Electronic Transmission of Medical Findings from Hospitals to Practitioners by Triangulation

C. Machan

¹Institute for Health Information Systems, UMIT – University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Hall i. T., Austria

,

E. Ammenwerth

¹Institute for Health Information Systems, UMIT – University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Hall i. T., Austria

,

T. Schabetsberger

¹Institute for Health Information Systems, UMIT – University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Hall i. T., Austria

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Summary

Objectives: The need for regional, cross-institutional electronic networks in health care is steadily growing to support seamless, cooperative health care. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of electronic transmission between hospitals and practitioners in a Tyrolean health care network, and to derive technical and organizational points for improvement.

Methods: Between March and August 2004 we carried out a triangulation-based cross-sectional study, combining a qualitative study based on semi-structured, problem-centric interviews with selected practitioners, with a quantitative study based on a standardized questionnaire survey of all the Tyrolean practitioners that receive electronic messages. The survey was designed to confirm the hypotheses which have been systematically derived from the interviews.

Results and Conclusions: The results show high satisfaction and positive impact of electronic communication. The triangulation of quantitative and qualitative methods was found to be useful in order to make the definition and confirmation of the hypotheses more transparent.

Keywords

Health informatics - evaluation studies - hospital information systems - triangulation - electronic transmission of findings - regional networks

Full Text

References

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