Title: Using Actor Network Theory (ANT) as an analytic tool in order to effect superior PACS implementation

Authors: Nilmini Wickramasinghe, Srinnath Tumu, Rajeev K. Bali, Arthur Tatnall

Addresses: Center for the Management of Medical Technology, Stuart School of Business, Illinois Institute of Technology, 565 W Adams St, Chicago, IL 60661, USA. ' Center for the Management of Medical Technology, Stuart School of Business, Illinois Institute of Technology, 565 W Adams St, Chicago, IL 60661, USA. ' Knowledge Management for Healthcare, (KARMAH) Research Subgroup, Biomedical Computing and Engineering Technologies (BIOCORE), Applied Research Group, Coventry University, West Midlands CV1 5FB, UK. ' Centre for International Corporate Governance Research, Graduate School of Business, Victoria University, P.O. Box 14428, Melbourne 8001, Australia

Abstract: Currently, one of the major challenges facing healthcare organisations globally is to judiciously apply new technologies and intelligently re-design antiquated processes and structures so that the application of these new technologies will be optimal. In so doing, it is believed that healthcare organisations will then be better positioned to offer cost effective, quality healthcare delivery. However, this is not a simple task since it is often difficult to articulate and quantify the benefits of such technologies, while the costs to implement them represent a significant financial drain. One such technology that healthcare organisations currently struggle to cost justify and successfully implement is Picture Archiving Communication System (PACS). In this paper we submit that, by using Actor Network Theory (ANT) as an analysis tool, it is possible to effect superior PACS implementations.

Keywords: healthcare tehcnology; actor network theory; ANT; picture archiving communication system; PACS implementation; PACS justification.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNVO.2007.015164

International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations, 2007 Vol.4 No.3, pp.257 - 279

Published online: 19 Sep 2007 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article