Pathologic elements in the planning of information systems: the case of hospitals in Quebec

The existing usage of information technology for information systems in hospitals draws attention to the fact that: (a) health care units which operate sophisticated numerical instrumentation to support medical activities rarely employ computers for the management of their operations and (b) despite the availability of affordable information technologies (microcomputers, networks, etc.), few hospitals include such elements as health care unit management in the development of their information systems portfolio. Is this paradoxical situation a result of the planning methodologies or of factors affecting their use? Or can it be attributed to the failure of present planning methodologies to incorporate the diversity of computerization approaches of the various stakeholders involved? If this is the case, untapped potential computerization possibilities exist that could lead to the development of hospital services and increased organizational efficiency.