User Acceptance of Computerized Physician Order Entry: An Empirical Investigation

Computerized physician order entry (CPOE) holds potential of reducing medical errors, improving care quality, and cutting healthcare costs. Yet, its success largely depends on physicians’ acceptance and subsequent usage. This study examines whether Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) can be applied to explain physician acceptance of CPOE. A survey was conducted in a large general hospital in China, and 103 data were collected from 200 physicians. The data analysis provided support for all relationships predicted by TAM but failed to support the relationship between ease of use and attitude. A follow-up analysis showed that this relationship is moderated by CPOE experience. Under the condition of high CPOE experience, perceived ease of use has no effect on attitude, whereas under the condition of low CPOE experience, perceived ease of use positively affects attitude. Implications for healthcare informatics are discussed.