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Thesis Final Draft Tara Wenger.pdf (574.58 KB)

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Health Information Technology Adoption by Mental Health Organizations

Wenger, Tara Renee Brenneman
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1523481704831465

Abstract Details

2018, Master of Social Work, Ohio State University, Social Work.
Purpose: As record keeping and administrative technology provides for innovation and improvements in many sectors, the field of mental health lags in adopting health information technology (HIT) (Perron, 2010). This leads to care gaps, potential inefficiencies, and unnecessary cost (Puskar, Aubrecht, Beamer, & Carozza, 2004). The objective of the study is to describe the prevalence of HIT use among mental health organizations and identify characteristics that are associated with HIT use. The results have implications for organizational leaders and policy makers responsible for technology decision making in the mental health field. Methods: Secondary data was drawn from the 2014 National Mental Health Services Survey (NMHSS) conducted by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The NMHSS measured whether organizations use computers, paper or both for 14 internal, external, and potentially external processes. Descriptive analysis was used to define the prevalence of HIT adoption, and regression analyses were used to examine organizational features (ownership, facility type, number served, licensing, and funding/payment types) related to HIT adoption. Results: Respondents reported low levels of overall HIT adoption, with internal processes having higher rates of adoption than external and either internal or external processes. Organizations with private, for profit ownership or public ownership, large numbers served, and residential care facility adopted HIT to a greater degree than other organizations. Implications: There is a need for strategic planning, regulation, and resources originating from entities that have influence over the entire field of mental health, not just particular organizations. Simply doing the same thing that has been done in other sectors, such as healthcare, would not be a successful endeavor for mental health. Resources, supports, and mandates should be put in place to boost HIT adoption. Special consideration of resources for small, non-licensed organizations should be made as part of these policies. Professional organizations should lead initiatives to encourage discovery and use of best practices and to plan for field-wide HIT adoption to address lack of adoption for external processes. Further research is needed to more thoroughly describe factors that lead to HIT adoption in the mental health field, and to determine which strategies for adoption to use for various processes.
Alicia Bunger, PhD (Advisor)
Njeri Kagotho, PhD (Committee Member)
54 p.
Information Technology; Mental Health; Social Work
Health Information Technology; HIT; mental health; HIT adoption

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Wenger, T. R. B. (2018). Health Information Technology Adoption by Mental Health Organizations [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1523481704831465

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Wenger, Tara. Health Information Technology Adoption by Mental Health Organizations. 2018. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1523481704831465.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Wenger, Tara. "Health Information Technology Adoption by Mental Health Organizations." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1523481704831465

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1523481704831465
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.