USE OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY FOR COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION AMONG HOSPITALS IN IBADAN, NIGERIA

Abstract

Using data collected from 78 out of the 149 hospitals in Ibadan, Nigeria, which are registered with the Nigerian National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), this article examines how these hospitals use information communications technology (ICT) to communicate information and collaborate with other hospitals for health care services. The results showed that the level of ICT literacy level in the hospitals is generally low; Internet access is mainly through mobile phones; and only two of the 78 hospitals own websites. Communication concerned mainly with local hospitals and collaboration across the Internet network to solve client health problems seldom occurred. Rather, patients were always physically moved to other hospitals, facilitated mainly by a combination of referral letters and mobile phones. The study location consisted of both rural and semiurban areas but all the NHIS registered hospitals were concentrated in the semi-urban areas, and there was no reference to communication or collaboration between hospitals in the rural areas and those in the semi-urban areas. The gregarious nature of medical practice generally and the affiliation of the respondents in the study to many professional and interest associations could be explored to develop policies and programmes for promoting communication and collaboration among health facilities for improved efficiency in health care service delivery.