Factors Affecting the Performance of Laboratory Information System Project In Kenya: A Case Study of the National Public Health Laboratory

Abstract

The electronic laboratory information system (LIS) is considered one of the newest technologies in the developing countries that support evidence laboratory medicine. And in improving the efficiency and performance of healthcare services, LIS is one of the important technologies in healthcare delivery. Determining success of this kind of electronic health information system project has been identified as one of the key issues in national policy health service delivery. The debate on appropriate variable factors affecting the performance of LIS has not been fully exhausted. Despite the important of LIS project which has failed in many developed countries, few studies have been carried out in developing countries to determine factors affecting its performance. The objective of this study was to establish the importance of management by-in, determine the effectives of IT proficiency, fine out effect of legal champion and establish affects stakeholders’ involvement and participation in LS project in Kenya. This research was carried out at National Public Health Laboratories (NPHL), and use both case study and descriptive research design. Census for mangers and simply random sampling technique for laboratory users was adopted. A self- administered questionnaire was used to collect data. The data was entered in an excel spreadsheet and analysis was done using Chi-square test and statistics such as mean frequency, percentages and standard deviation. The relationship between the independent and dependent variable was also established. The findings show that management supported the LIS project, the staff had at least some basic training in IT proficient, the presence of local championship help in eliminating obstacle and risk assessment, and that all stakeholders were involve during LIS implementation. The study concludes that all these variables; management by in, IT proficiency, local championship and stakeholders’ involvement were influential in enhancing LIS project performance (p less .05). The study recommended that before, during and after information system implementation, organizations should train their staff and ensure that everyone in the organization is involved in such implementation.