Health Informatics

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Browsing Health Informatics by Author "Addissie, Adamu(MD, MPH)"

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    Utilization of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for Accessing Health Information by Physicians in Addis Ababa Private Hospitals
    (Addis Ababa University, 2013-10) Kibru, Sahle; Addissie, Adamu(MD, MPH); Kebede, Gashaw (PhD)
    Background: Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are defined as digital and analogue technologies that facilitate the capturing, processing, storage and exchange of information via electronic communication. ICTs have the potential to improve information management, access to health services, quality of care, continuity of services, and cost containment. So that, the use of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) within healthcare can makes significant changes in the daily operations of hospitals. Objective: These were to: identify the available ICTs tools and services to the physicians; identify the purposes of ICTs utilization by the physicians in private hospitals; determine the extent to which the existing information services meet information needs of the physicians;assess the factors to access and utilize of ICTs by the physicians; and explore the knowledge and attitudes of the physicians to utilize ICTs for their work. Methodology: A cross-sectional survey of 147 physicians in private hospitals in Addis Ababa was conducted to gather the availability and utilization of ICTs for accessing health information to their daily clinical activities. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16.0, and summery measures, descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were used for interpreting and presentation the data. Important Findings: The survey revealed that physicians 34.7% had own Smart phones, 87 have flush disk for their work , only forty-nine(33.8%) physicians survey reported that they have computer available in the hospitals accessed for their works, among those thirty-three (22.4%)physicians reported that they have internet connection in the hospitals. In terms of knowledge and attitudes 74% of physicians had satisfactory knowledge ICTs utilization and 71% of physicians‟ also favorable attitudes towards ICTs for their daily activities. The study also predicted the relation between the outcome variable and the possible factors. Physicians‟ activity,working experience, computer access and computer training are found to have significant effect on ICTs utilization. Similarly, physicians‟ level of specialty, computer accessibility, working burden and taking forma computer training found to have significant effects among possible factors on physicians attitude towards ICTs utilization for daily operations. Conclusion: Information has been critical part of the medical professionals‟ /physicians/armament of tools to provide patient care. Utilizing ICTs can offer the physicians with enhanced access to: key data at all levels from international to local, electronic libraries of evidence, peer reviewed research and practice guidelines, and network of professionals in health and related disciplines. While information access is critical in delivery of quality health care services, there are many problems that are inherent in attempting to meet the information needs of physicians at private Hospitals.