Title: Using IS/IT to support the delivery of Chinese medicine: a Chinese medicine clinic management system

Authors: Catherine Han Lin; Siddhi Pittayachawan; Angela Wei Hong Yang; Nilmini Wickramasinghe

Addresses: School of Business IT and Logistics, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia ' School of Business IT and Logistics, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia ' School of Health Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia ' School of Business IT and Logistics, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia; Epworth HealthCare, 89 Bridge Road, Richmond, VIC 3121, Australia

Abstract: OECD countries today are focusing on ways to incorporate IS/IT to facilitate superior healthcare delivery. However, studies of IS/IT implementations for Chinese Medicine (CM) practice are very limited. We analyse western medicine (WM) and CM diagnosis and treatment processes and find that these clinical processes share some similarities. Hence, we contend that by implementing IS/IT system solutions, CM practice can also enjoy similar benefits from IS/IT as WM. This paper serves to identify a role for IS/IT in assisting CM clinic key processes as well as identify key IT investment portfolio components of such IS/IT solutions.

Keywords: healthcare technology; information systems; information technology; clinical management systems; Chinese medicine; healthcare delivery systems.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBET.2014.065805

International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, 2014 Vol.16 No.3, pp.223 - 243

Received: 08 Apr 2014
Accepted: 18 Aug 2014
Published online: 25 Apr 2015 *

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