Computer Usage by U.S. Group Medical Practices 1994 vs. 2003 and Type of Usage Comparison to IT Practices in Taiwan

Abstract

Research on the use of information technology in healthcare has focused on hospitals and health maintenance organizations (HMOs). However little has been done to study the use of IT in group medical practices. In 1994, we conducted a pilot study of group medical practices and then repeated this pilot study in 2003 to obtain a longitudinal picture of the IT services used by these private practices. Researchers can use this to form ideas of the important issues and changes involved in IT usage in group medical practices over the past decade, thus providing a needed benchmark to fill a gap in the existing literature and that can be used to compare domestic as well as international practices. For example, an expanded form of this study was conducted in Taiwan showing some differences in IT integration abroad. Brief analyses of some of these initial findings are presented at the end of the chapter.