Title: Finnish physicians’ experiences with computer-supported patient information exchange and communication in clinical work

Authors: Johanna Viitanen; Marko Nieminen; Hannele Hyppönen; Tinja Lääveri

Addresses: Strategic Usability Research Group, School of Science, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland. ' Strategic Usability Research Group, School of Science, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland. ' Information Department, National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Helsinki, Finland. ' Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital and HUS-ICT, Helsinki, Finland

Abstract: Several researchers share the concern of healthcare information systems failing to support communication and collaboration in clinical practices. The objective of this paper is to investigate the current state of computer-supported patient information exchange and associated communication between clinicians. We report findings from a national survey on Finnish physicians’ experiences with their currently used clinical information systems with regard to patient information documentation, retrieval, management and exchange-related tasks. The questionnaire study with 3929 physicians indicated the main concern being cross-organisational patient information delivery. In addition, physicians argued computer usage increasingly steals time and attention from caring activities and even disturbs physician–nurse collaboration. Problems in information management were particularly emphasised among those physicians working in hospitals and wards. The survey findings indicated that collaborative applications and mobile or wireless solutions have not been widely adapted in Finnish healthcare and suggested an urgent need for adopting appropriate information and communication technology applications to support information exchange and communication between physicians, and physicians and nurses.

Keywords: clinical information systems; computer-supported cooperative work; CSCW; ICT; information technology; communications technology; patient information; information exchange; physicians; questionnaire; healthcare information; information management; Finland; information retrieval.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEH.2011.044347

International Journal of Electronic Healthcare, 2011 Vol.6 No.2/3/4, pp.153 - 173

Published online: 19 Dec 2011 *

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