Information Technology For Management

Management of Information Technology (IT) in Health presents a very special challenge. The IT industry itself is a very dynamic, rapidly evolving field, with a continuous stream of new technologies bringing new possibilities and challenges. However IT is not merely a technological issue, as it is generally found that many of the most difficult problems are about the way the technology relates to the organization. If technology is going to be effective in most cases, then substantial changes in the way the organization operates is necessary (Coombs et al 1992). These changes involve many conflicting factors which can be political, managerial, industrial, cultural, and may require substantial changes in skills, and roles. Implementation is much more than a technical process, and involves skills of politicians, salesmen, project management and organizational change agents (Keen 1991). It is an area that can be highly controversial and very costly, often with considerable dissatisfaction and with significant levels of failure (Sauer 1993). In addition to these problems, health is possibly one of the most complex of environments, which makes the management of information in the health industry extremely demanding.