ABSTRACT
New advances in computing technology offer tremendous opportunities for health promotion, patient education, and the delivery of health services. A growing body of research suggests these programs can be very effective if carefully developed and implemented. The implementation phase may be as challenging as the development phase. A major obstacle to implementation appears to be the reluctance of health care organizations to invest in and use the technology. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss characteristics of organizational environments that account for this reluctance and to suggest ways that program developers and organizational leadership can respond to these challenges.
