Track: Information Technology in Health Care
Minitrack: Transforming Health Care through Information
--------------- Technology Adoption

There are major health care reforms taking place worldwide. For instance, a popular trend has been the provision of care directly to the patient home and the emergence of integrated health care networks as new models of care organization. Many of these reforms are facilitated by the adoption of information technologies (IT) such as electronic medical records, picture archiving and communication systems, telehealth applications and interorganizational clinical information systems.

When properly implemented these innovations have not only the potential to improve patient care but also to provide better integration of health services within and across organizations. However, the absence of solid empirical evidence that demonstrates the impacts, feasibility, and cost-effectiveness of these transformations remains a major constraint to key decision makers and healthcare professionals who desire to invest in and benefit from these applications. This minitrack welcomes empirical studies which assess the economic viability of emerging IT-based health care models or evaluate the effects of IT adoption on the organization and delivery of health care services, the accessibility of health care services, clinical outcomes, and/or the attitudes/behaviors of patients and health care professionals.

Co-chairs:
Guy Paré (Primary Contact)
Canada Research Chair in Information Technology in Health Care
HEC Montreal
3000, Chemin de la Cote-Ste-Catherine,
Montreal (Quebec), Canada H3T 2A7
Direct Phone: +1-514-340-6812
Departmental Phone: +1-514-340-6476
Fax: +1-514-340-6132
Email: guy.pare@hec.ca

Mirou Jaana
Telfer School of Management
University of Ottawa
55 Laurier Avenue East - Room 6146, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 6N5
Direct Phone: +1-613-562-5800 x 4928
Departmental Phone: +1-613-562-5800
Fax: +1-613-562-5164
Email: jaana@telfer.uOttawa.ca

Francis Lau
Health Information Science
University of Victoria
PO Box 3050, Victoria BC V8W 3P5, Canada
Direct Phone: +1-250-472-5131
Departmental Phone: +1-250-721-8575
Fax: +1-250-472-4751
Email: fylau@uvic.ca