GP Attitudes towards Using HI Systems in Their Professional Role

This paper reports on a qualitative study of South Australian General Practitioner (GP) attitudes towards adopting Health Informatics (HI) technology. The study suggests attitudes are determined by GP perceptions of competing managerial, technological and political factors. Findings indicate increased exposure to HI use in performance of their role influences GP perceptions of the importance and certainty of implementation outcomes. However the prospect of such technologically facilitated change tends to manifest in resistance if perceived as uncertain, involuntary or not of demonstrable benefit to patients. The findings highlight the desirability of HI technology use being associated with benefits to GP patients and practices rather than with change to the GP’s professional role and value. .