Understanding the factors affecting employees' perceived benefits of healthcare information technology

Healthcare information technology (HIT) is becoming a critical component of healthcare delivery and promises dramatic improvements in efficiencies and quality. However, the ability to attain the benefits from HIT is still being understood. This research examines the relationship of HIT benefits with perceived barriers, training, skill, and level of use. Data were gathered from a survey of employees at King Abdul-Aziz Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Variables representing HIT benefits and barriers were constructed through principal component analysis, which were combined with individual and organizational characteristics and analyzed through multivariate regression. Our findings suggest that HIT benefits are related to the type and understanding of barriers and the level of training, use, and skills. Hospital managers should understand that utilizing these factors may assist in achieving the promises of HIT.