IT and Internet provision: access, utility and training for junior
hospital doctors in the UK
Results of the survey described in this article indicate that young
doctors are not being provided with the ICT tools and skills they’d like
to have at work. Mr Rick Harrison and colleagues from the RAFT
Institute explain.
keywords: barriers to
clinicians’ use of icts, access to computers, computer usage, hospital
doctors’ attitudes to it, continuing professional development, medical
education.
abstract
Among the barriers to the adoption of information technology by
hospital doctors, IT and information-systems’ provision and inaccurate
perceptions of its usefulness are likely to be main factors. This study
‘takes a sounding’ of the current situation for senior house officers (SHOs)
within the hospital environment in the UK.
Findings from the 60 SHOs questioned in a survey in November 2002
suggest that junior doctors are keen to make use of the benefits of ICTs
but are frustrated from doing so at work. Many have their own computers
at home with access to the Internet, but very few have easy access to
similar facilities at their places of work. They rated the usefulness of
hospital information systems low. Employers’ provision of standard
office packages, training on the use of hospital information systems and
provision of access to electronically based medical education resources
were also found wanting.
Br J Healthcare Comput Info Manage 2003; 20(8): 31–4. |
