Question

A. Why is the healthcare industry perceived as being less proactive than other industries in the area of computerized information systems? How can this perception be changed?
b. How are the concepts of EDI, e-commerce, and e-health interrelated?
c. What is driving the increased use of computerized care protocols in healthcare?
d. What is public key infrastructure, and why is it receiving so much attention within the healthcare industry?
e. Why is strategic planning for information systems important to organizations in today’s healthcare environment? What risks are associated with not having an IS plan?
f. What is the relationship between strategic information systems planning and the systems development life?

Answer 1

Answer:

Explanation:

(A) (i) The healthcare industry is perceived that way because most of the training & advancement programs for health practitioners do not shed light on information technology.

(ii) This perception can be changed, by introducing the idea and practice of computerized information systems.

(B) The three concepts are related, such that

- E-health has to do with the offering of health care via electronic means.

- E-commerce is the electronic provision for traders (buyers, sellers, investors, etc) which extends the market place from land to electronic devices.

- Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is a kind of e-commerce tool or infrastructure which enables the availability and spread of information.

(C) What is driving the increased use of computerized care protocols in healthcare?

The driver of this is the increase in the use of internet technology. Businesses (health or non-health related) have grown through this medium and healthcare givers have had to resort to this.

(D) Key public infrastructure are the social amenities which are considered crucial to the lives of citizens.

This is receiving much attention in the healthcare industry because primary healthcare is a key public infrastructure! Others include stable electricity, pipe borne water, good roads, security, etc. These infrastructure improve the living standard of people.