The article attempts to identify the important factors for the strategic use of information systems technology (IST) by examining the multifaceted role of IST in the healthcare context. Three propositions are developed from re-examining a variety of IST applications both within and outside healthcare organizations, re-applying the integration concept from the literature, and examining field experiences in the healthcare industry. The author states that the popularity of IST can be attributed to several factors such as the changing economic conditions, which include long-term high inflation, high interest rates, and low real growth. The article also discusses hospital information systems (HIS) as a competitive weapon.