Barriers That Impede the Adoption of Pediatric Information Technology

BACKGROUND: Information technology (IT) is a critical but underused component of health care. Many factors contribute to the inconsistent adoption of IT. OBJECTIVE: To review the literature to better elucidate barriers that are likely to affect the adoption of IT by pediatric professionals. DATA SOURCES: Manuscripts were found using a MEDLINE search combining the terms medicine, information systems, and technology transfer. I also obtained references cited by relevant articles. Finally, I explored the Internet using http://www.google.com and http://www.northernlight.com. STUDY SELECTION: Articles discussing barriers or factors affecting the adoption of IT were considered for inclusion. Articles unrelated to clinical IT were excluded. DATA SYNTHESIS: A variety of barriers exist that affect the adoption of useful technologies. Situational barriers include challenges imposed by the current national health environment, financial and legal risks associated with technology purchasing and use, and access to technology. The most significant barrier is that pediatric health care practitioners may lack the knowledge or training to use IT effectively. CONCLUSIONS: Although some barriers exist that may be challenging to overcome, other barriers, such as the lack of knowledge about the uses of IT, are imminently solvable. Efforts to overcome these barriers should begin in earnest and should include educating stakeholders in the care of children and adolescents, as well as improving the knowledge about various technologies available to support pediatric and adolescent health care.