Electronic health records (EHR) facilitate integration of patient health history for planning safe and proper treatment. Combined with data analytics, aggregate-level EHR enable examination and development of effective medicines and therapies for chronic diseases. Although promising efforts to implement EHRs are underway, social and organizational challenges plague EHR development and widespread use. These challenges are due to lingering issues such as privacy, interoperability, and security among key stakeholders (patients, providers, and purveyors). Based upon stakeholders' needs and the issues, we identify two primary thematic areasÑintegration and analyticsÑin which the information systems (IS) discipline can contribute to EHRs. Through the accumulated body of knowledge, IS researchers are well positioned and have the expertise to design, develop, and facilitate the use of EHR in the delivery of healthcare. We identify potential research opportunities in each of the two thematic areas that have the potential to transform the delivery of healthcare. We conclude with a recommendation for IS scholars to collaborate with allied healthcare disciplines in order to advance the use of EHR to improve patient care.
When an enterprise system is introduced, system users often experience a performance dip as they struggle with the unfamiliar system. Appropriately managing this phase, which we term as the swift response phase (SRP), is vital given its prominent impact on the eventual success of the system. Yet, there is a glaring lack of studies that examine the SRP. Drawing on sensemaking theory and early postadoptive literature, this study seeks to propose a theory-driven model to understand how different support structures facilitate different forms of use-related activities to induce a positive performance in the SRP. The model was tested through a two-stage survey involving 329 nurses. The results demonstrated the discriminating alignment between information system (IS) use-related activity and support structures in enhancing system users' work performance in the SRP. Specifically, suitability of impersonal support moderated the effects of standardized system use and individual adaption on performance, whereas availability of personal support only moderated the effect of nonstandardized system use on performance. For moderating role of personal support, IS specialists support had a lower influence than peer-champion support and peer-user support. This study contributes to the extant literature by (1) conceptualizing the turbulent SRP, (2) applying sensemaking theory to the initial postadoptive stage, (3) adding to the theoretical debate on the value of system use, and (4) unveiling the distinct roles of support structures under different types of use activities. Practical suggestions are provided for organizational management and policy makers to deal with the complexities in the SRP.