High-Level Managers' Considerations for RFID Adoption in Hospitals: An Empirical Study in Taiwan

  • Authors:

  • Hui-Min Lai;I-Chun Lin;Ling-Tzu Tseng

  • Affiliations:

  • Department of Information Management, Chienkuo Technology University, Changhua, Republic of China 500;Department of Industrial Management and Institute of Health Industry Management, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Yunlin, Republic of China 64002;Department of Information Management, Chienkuo Technology University, Changhua, Republic of China 500

  • Venue:
  • Journal of Medical Systems
  • Year:
  • 2014

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Abstract

Prior researches have indicated that an appropriate adoption of information technology (IT) can help hospitals significantly improve services and operations. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is believed to be the next generation innovation technology for automatic data collection and asset/people tracking. Based on the Technology---Organization---Environment (TOE) framework, this study investigated high-level managers' considerations for RFID adoption in hospitals. This research reviewed literature related IT adoption in business and followed the results of a preliminary survey with 37 practical experts in hospitals to theorize a model for the RFID adoption in hospitals. Through a field survey of 102 hospitals and hypotheses testing, this research identified key factors influencing RFID adoption. Follow-up in-depth interviews with three high-level managers of IS department from three case hospitals respectively also presented an insight into the decision of RFID's adoption. Based on the research findings, cost, ubiquity, compatibility, security and privacy risk, top management support, hospital scale, financial readiness and government policy were concluded to be the key factors influencing RFID adoption in hospitals. For practitioners, this study provided a comprehensive overview of government policies able to promote the technology, while helping the RFID solution providers understand how to reduce the IT barriers in order to enhance hospitals' willingness to adopt RFID.