Determinants of Information System Adoptions in Private Hospitals in Malaysia

Goldschmidt (2005) defined the hospital information system as "The application of information processing involving both computer hardware and software that deals with the storage, retrieval, sharing, and use of health care information, data, and knowledge for communication and decision making". This definition includes such applications as: electronic health record, electronic billing, electronic discharging and telemedicine. In Malaysia, hospitals across the country are continually searching for ways to ensure patient safety and improve the quality of care. This study examines the factors influencing the adoption of information system (IS) at the administration departments of private hospitals in Malaysia. These factors include innovation, relative advantage, competitive edge, patients\´/customers\´ pressure, top management support, size of hospital, and employees IS knowledge. The information system in this study was classified into five types: electronic registration, electronic patient record, electronic pharmacy, electronic billing, and electronic discharging. The population used in this study was the private hospitals in Malaysia and the unit of analysis was the administration department at these private hospitals. Survey by a questionnaire is the method used in this study.