Evaluation of an information system in a community health centre: A case study

Information should stimulate innovation and change in organisations. In the 1990s the idea of managing information as a resource is still not happening in many organisations. In many organisations, information management is seen as the management of technology or as activities occurring in the operational and at the middle management level.

This study aims to examine the above issues through a literature review and a case study of information management and information system usage at Northcote Community Health Centre (NCHC). Several important findings emerge from the literature review. Information management is strategic in nature, that is, information should be used to facilitate internal operations and to make strategic and tactical decisions. It has to integrate information management into the overall management of the organisation. An Information Management Strategy and an Information Technology Strategy are required to manage information resource(s) in an efficient way.

Information requirement differs at various levels in the management hierarchy. The 'Critical Success Factors' method can be used to identify the success factors for an organisation. The development of an information management strategy has to be aligned with the business strategy.

The study identifies information management and information system usage at NCHC and determines some ways to improve the information usages. The results of this case study confirm the literature findings that information systems are only supporting activities at operational and middle management level. Also, it reveals that there is no information management strategy. Furthermore, the case study has identified the CSFs of NCHC are communication with its partners, business efficiency improvement, a customer -oriented image, provision of accurate unit cost and decomposition of business processes to respond quickly to legislation changes.

In conclusion, this study proposes several recommendations to improve the information management and the enhancement of information systems. These recommendations are to: install Electronic Data Interchange and electronic mail systems, provide computer training to health staff , and to upgrade the current computer network.