Development and Acceptance Process of Information and Communication Technologies : Two Cases of Regional Medical Information Networks in Japan

DOI Web Site 1 Citations

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • 地域医療情報ネットワークにおける情報技術の構築と受容過程
  • チイキ イリョウ ジョウホウ ネットワーク ニ オケル ジョウホウ ギジュツ ノ コウチク ト ジュヨウ カテイ

Search this article

Abstract

This paper examines the ways in which information and communication technology (ICT) is received in specific areas for two cases concerning regional medical information networks in Japan. The results are outlined below. In Japan, each prefecture implements its own regional health care program for the appropriate allocation of medical resources. However, regional disparities in such allocation have not yet been resolved. In two cases (the Wakashio Medical Network in Chiba Prefecture and the Haniwa Network in Miyazaki Prefecture), central hospitals operated in competition with other health-related institutions in regard to accepting patients before introducing ICT. Factors contributing to the construction of these two networks and their continued utilization include strong leadership of central hospitals in the regions involved, and the fact that they have managed to solve problems related to system development and operation costs. The central hospitals considered the jurisdictional areas of local medical and pharmaceutical associations when setting the spatial scales of the two networks, since a higher level of involvement in them requires the cooperation of interest groups such as these associations. ICT therefore supports relationships from competition to cooperation among medical institutions, and functions as a way to set the spatial scale of the networks. These network spatial scales result from network relations between humans and ICT. ICT does not impact society independently of geographical distance, but is received in specific regions such as prefectures or parts of secondary medical areas through interaction between ICT and social relations.

Journal

Citations (1)*help

See more

Keywords

Details 詳細情報について

Report a problem

Back to top