Farkhonde Asadi; Hamid Moghaddasi; Aazamossadat Hosseini; Susan Azizi Gondozlu
Volume 9, Issue 5 , November and December 2012, , Pages 619-631
Abstract
Introduction: Non-integrated health information has forced health sector to utilize information andcommunication technology (ICT). National health information infrastructure (NHII) integratesclinical and health information, decreases medical errors as well as costs, and increases patient’ssafety. ...
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Introduction: Non-integrated health information has forced health sector to utilize information andcommunication technology (ICT). National health information infrastructure (NHII) integratesclinical and health information, decreases medical errors as well as costs, and increases patient’ssafety. Thus, this article aimed to review the feasibility of NHII implementation in Iran fromperspective of ICT experts in Ministry of Health and other health-related organizations in 2009.Methods: This survey was conducted after identifying the NHII. The study population consistedof ICT managers and experts, and sample size was equal to the sample population. The data werecollected through interviewing and by means of questionnaire. The questionnaire was confirmedby health information management and ICT experts. The validity of the questionnaire wasconfirmed by content validity and its reliability by test-retest method (r = 0.84). Data wereanalyzed by descriptive statistics.Results: Despite a relationship between Ministry of Health and other health-relatedorganizations, only 14.28% of the organizations had fully integrated computerized informationsystem and were ready to connect to the Ministry of Health. Cultural, economic, andinfrastructural problems were 92.30% and lack of standards and legal issues with 84.61% werethe most important barriers for implementing NHII in Iran.Conclusion: Due to the lack of required infrastructures, implementing NHII in Iran is impossible.Developing culture, privacy laws enactment and ICT in addition to governmental supervision forestablishing required infrastructures should be implemented.
