A sociotechnical perspective of health informationtechnology

Abstract

In 2011 the Institute of Medicine published the report HealthIT and Patient Safety. It addressed the growing concern thathealth information technology may not only beneficial forpatients but also pose risks for patient safety. The reportemphasizes that patient safety can be understood from asociotechnical perspective integrating technology, people andorganizational context. It is a high level recognitionof the fact the role that organizational context and health sys-tems at large play a role in shaping technology and particularlyhealth information technology. Berg et al. wrote in the intro-ductory of the special issue to the first ITHC: “As informationrequire interaction with people and thereby inevitably affectthem, understanding information systems requires a focuson the interrelation between technology and its social envi-ronment” [2]. The theme of the fourth ITHC was “From safesystems to patient safety.” The organizers invited papers forthe conference addressing the theme, but other submissionswere welcomed as well. Seven papers have been selected forthis special issue.