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Healthcare professional's demand for knowledge in informatics.
V Vimarlund1, T Timpka, N Hallberg
1MDA, Department of Computer Science and Social Medicine, Linköping University, Sweden. vivvi@ida.liu.se
International Journal of Medical Informatics
|April 8, 1999
Summary
Healthcare professionals may invest leisure time in health informatics knowledge, boosting personal well-being and job satisfaction, even without salary increases. This investment benefits both staff and healthcare organizations.
Area of Science:
- Health Informatics
- Health Economics
- Human Capital Theory
Background:
- Healthcare professionals' time allocation decisions are complex.
- Understanding the economic drivers for acquiring health informatics knowledge is crucial for workforce development.
- Investments in knowledge capital can impact job satisfaction and organizational efficiency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an economic model illustrating healthcare professionals' demand for knowledge capital in health informatics.
- To analyze the individual decision-making process regarding time investment in specialized knowledge acquisition.
Main Methods:
- A case study approach was employed.
- The contingent valuation method was utilized to construct a small-scale economic model.
- Data was collected from a specialized clinic at a university hospital in Sweden.
Main Results:
- The developed model explains the economic rationale for individuals choosing to dedicate leisure time to health informatics knowledge.
- Acquiring this knowledge did not lead to increased salaries but enhanced personal well-being.
- Benefits included greater satisfaction from using information systems and recognition as a computer expert.
Conclusions:
- Individuals prioritize and make choices about how to allocate their time, including professional development activities.
- Supporting healthcare staff in building health informatics knowledge capital offers advantages to both the individuals and the healthcare organization.
- Investing in health informatics expertise can indirectly improve overall healthcare delivery and operational efficiency.