How using ANT can assist to understand key issues for successful e-Health solutions.

Abstract

Globally in healthcare, the focus is on designing and implementing national e-health solutions in an attempt to address key challenges that are plaguing healthcare delivery. However, despite the initial euphoria and notwithstanding the significant investments made, to date, many of these e-health solutions have yet to prove their success or have been complete failures. This paper presents the findings from an exploratory study that examined e-health initiatives in five countries Australia, China, Germany, UK and US to understand why these e-health solutions have not as yet delivered the promised results. The paper proffers Actor-Network Theory (ANT) as an appropriately rich theoretical lens that can be used to assist in the understanding of key issues for successful e-health solutions.