Impacts of IT on the quality of medical laboratory documentation

Health care systems nowadays are affected by quality problems, most of which occur in developing countries due to the lack of adequate infrastructural, human, and financial resources. This has also caused the data quality generated in developing countries to be often poor. As a result, most governments in developing countries are in the process of improving quality in their health care systems through the introduction of Information Technology (IT) support systems. This book provides an analysis of the challenges and opportunities involved in the implementation of an IT support system as a means of improving the quality of laboratory documentation in a Cameroonian hospital. The analysis points to the need to understand the unique nature of each laboratory as an essential tool if we are to move towards lasting quality improvements. This book is intended to form the basis for empirical research and act as a guide for policy makers in their efforts to resolve quality problems in health care systems.