The Role of Health Informatics Research: A Case of a Large-Scale Implementation in Norway

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Information Technology in Clinical Practice
• Health Information Systems

Background:

• The role of health informatics research is often viewed as crucial for guiding the development and implementation of health information technology in clinical settings.
• Large-scale health information system (HIS) implementations present opportunities to assess the practical application of research findings.
• Central Norway's ongoing HIS implementation serves as a case study for evaluating research's influence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate whether health informatics research evidence is explicitly referenced and utilized during the planning phases of a large-scale health information system implementation in central Norway.
• To determine the extent to which scientific evidence informs practical decision-making in the context of HIS deployment.
• To identify gaps between available research and the evidence needs for effective HIS implementation.

Main Methods:

• Document analysis of planning materials related to the central Norwegian health information system implementation.
• Assessment of explicit references to scientific evidence within implementation planning documents.
• Evaluation of the availability of necessary scientific evidence to support implementation decisions.

Main Results:

• The study found that existing scientific evidence was not explicitly cited or incorporated into the planning documents.
• A significant lack of readily available evidence was identified for critical aspects of the HIS implementation.
• The integration of health informatics research into the practical planning of the HIS was found to be minimal.

Conclusions:

• The implementation planning for the large-scale health information system in central Norway did not explicitly leverage available scientific evidence.
• There is a need to improve the accessibility and utilization of health informatics research in the practical planning of health information systems.
• Bridging the gap between research and practice is essential for optimizing health information system implementation outcomes.