Summary
Objective: User acceptance of information technology has been a significant area of research
for more than two decades in the field of information technology. This study assessed
the acceptance of information technology in the context of Health Information Management
(HIM) by utilizing Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) which was modified and applied
to assess user acceptance of health information technology as well as viability of
TAM as a research construct in the context of HIM.
Methods: This was a descriptive- analytical study in which a sample of 187 personnel from
a population of 363 personnel, working in medical records departments of hospitals
affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences, was selected. Users’ perception
of applying information technology was studied
by a researcher-developed questionnaire. Collected data were analyzed by SPSS software
(version16) using descriptive statistics and regression analysis.
Results: The results suggest that TAM is a useful construct to assess user acceptance of information
technology in the context of HIM. The findings also evidenced the per -ceived ease
of use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PE) were positively associated with favorable
users’ attitudes towards HIM. PU was relatively more associated ( r= 0.22, p = 0.05)
than PEOU (r = 0.014, p = 0.05) with favorable user attitudes towards HIM.
Conclusions: Users’ perception of usefulness and ease of use are important determinants providing
the incentive for users to accept information technologies when the application of
a successful HIM system is attempted. The findings of the present study suggest that
user acceptance is a key element and should subsequently be the major concern of health
organizations and health policy makers.
Keywords
Information technology - health information management - technology acceptance model
- user acceptance - user perceptions
