Knowledge of Computer Among Healthcare Professionals of India: A Key Toward e-Health

Abstract

Information technology has radically changed the way that many people work and think. Over the years, technology has touched a new acme and now it is not confined to developed countries. Developing countries such as India have kept pace with the world in modern technology. Healthcare professionals can no longer ignore the application of information technology to healthcare because they are key to e-health. This study was conducted to enlighten the perspective and implications of computers among healthcare professionals, with the objective to assess the knowledge, use, and need of computers among healthcare professionals. A cross-sectional study of 240 healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, lab technicians, and pharmacists, was conducted. Each participant was interviewed using a pretested, semistructured format. Of 240 healthcare professionals, 57.91% were knowledgeable about computers. Of them, 22.08% had extensive knowledge and 35.83% had partial knowledge. Computer knowledge was greater among the age group 20-25 years (high knowledge-43.33% and partial knowledge-46.66%). Of 99 males, 21.21% were found to have good knowledge and 42.42% had partial knowledge. A majority of doctors and nurses used computer for study purposes. The remaining healthcare professionals used it basically for the sake of entertainment, Internet, and e-mail. A majority of all healthcare professionals (95.41%) requested computer training, which according to them would definitely help to make their future more bright and nurtured as well as to enhance their knowledge regarding computers.

Computer and Internet Use among Tertiary Healthcare Providers and Trainees in a Nigerian Public Hospital

“…It is quiet alluring that this current study reveals general quest for further training in the use of computer (95.8%), the Internet (93.4%) and specifically, e-mail (91.1%) with all the trainees (100%) in the study seeking for further training. The findings on further training in computer and the Internet correspond with previous studies such as Adeleke et al [16] where participants wanted more training in electronic data analysis; Gour & Srivasta [41] with demands on provision for computer training and Cullen [24] with training in the identification, use, and application of evidence in practice. Other corroborating reports are Salako & Tiamiyu [50] on how to enhance efficiency in academic pursuance; Yeung [30] on benefits of technology-enabled training; Ajayi [31] on the introduction of health informatics and Chan et al [51] reported that a group of primary care nurses with consensus required training with a view to improving their computer use.…”

“…Our study confirmed the affordability effects as salary level had statistical significance (p=.00) on computer and Internet use. Furthermore, Gour & Srivastava [41] reported that of all groups of healthcare providers in a study, doctors and nurses were well indulged in the use of computer.…”

Knowledge and utilization of information communication technology (ICT) among health science students at the University of Gondar, North Western Ethiopia

“…The result of this study revealed that half of students had ICT knowledge, which is similar to the study conducted in Medical school of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria [6] and a bit lower than a study conducted in India (58%) [7]. Despite the introduction of IT into the curriculum of preparatory schools and in the universities, the level of computer literacy among CMHS students is very low.…”

Computer Literacy Improvement Needs: Physicians' Self Assessment in the Makkah Region

“…8 One study in Canada was conducted on pharmacists to rate their anticipated needs for computer skills found that more than 50% of the respondents rated their need for improvement in medical database search and 52% for internet search as "significant". 12 Similarly in the current study, the survey revealed that physicians generally expressed "some" need for improvement in computer skills except for one hospital that required "substantial" improvement. The results of this study are to a great extent comparable to the finding of the current study since pharmacists are also healthcare providers, as are physicians.…”