Date of Award

Spring 1-1-2006

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS)

First Advisor

Omar El-Gayar

Second Advisor

Dorine Bennett

Third Advisor

Richard Christoph

Abstract

Picture archiving and communications system has been in use in many digital imaging and radiology departments since the mid 1990s. It is one component of the electronic health record that is in a phase of implementation in many healthcare facilities in this country. Combined with a radiology information system and web technology, the picture archiving and communication system has enabled high-quality digital images to be available more quickly to more practitioners in many places at the same time. This report utilized two components of the technology acceptance model to measure perceived usefulness and ease of use (Davis, 1989; Al-Gahtani, 2003) of the picture archiving and communications system at Avera Queen of Peace Hospital in Mitchell, South Dakota; a small town in eastern South Dakota. The picture archiving and communications system users in the diagnostic imaging department were placed into one of two groups, either allied healthcare professionals or non-allied healthcare professionals. Published literature in the literature review discussed the fact that physicians and nurses that make up the non-allied health care professionals group have difficulty accepting new technology. The purpose of the research was two-fold; first, to determine if there was a difference in perceived usefulness and ease of use between the two groups, allied and non-allied healthcare professionals, and second, to determine the satisfaction of the users of the picture archiving and communication system at Avera Queen of Peace Hospital. Statistical testing did not identify any significant difference between the two groups of picture archiving and communications system users, which could be attributed to a small population sample. It did appear, based on means of the two variables, that both groups of picture archiving and communications system have positive perceptions about its usefulness and ease of use. There are several opportunities in the future to expand this research. One opportunity would be to include all components of the technology acceptance model in the survey to include user attitudes and future use of the technology. Including the entire Avera Health System to increase the sample size would provide more reliable statistics in which to perform data analysis.

Comments

dsu-th-006

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