ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the literature, with particular focus on healthcare. It shows concepts and approaches surrounding the implementation of integrated systems from the generic Information Systems (IS) and management literature. The chapter considers how information systems are characterised and identifies the key challenges relating to their development and integration. It also considers specific contributions from the IS and health informatics literature. Critical success factors related to successful IS integration initiatives have been shown to have a strong organisational and social component. There has been no shortage of strategic approaches advocated by strategic management experts on how to achieve the integration of information systems. Integration is therefore strategically seen from a service integration perspective. Borne from this has been the emphasis on business process re-engineering (BPR) as a strategic approach to aligning information systems with organisational operations. Systems integration is very much the standard means to achieve technical integration of clinical systems in healthcare organisations.
