The impact of information systems on work structure and culture in an emergency department

This paper describes a study where consultants in an emergency department will be observed and interviewed with the aim of evaluating the impact of the progressive implementation of an information system in an emergency department in a metropolitan hospital in Australia. The study is the third stage of a 3-stage longitudinal study which is building on data from two previous studies that were conducted in the same setting in 2008 and 2012. The evaluations will be based on predefined task categories to investigate how information systems in health settings affect time and prioritisation of tasks. The study aims to understand how the changes brought by information systems implementation can be managed to fit in with the structure and culture of work in the hospital setting. The outcome of this research will inform guidelines for how information systems for hospitals can be designed and implemented.