Analyzing Effective Factors in Green Information Systems (ISs) Adoption in Health Care Centers Using Interpretive Structural Modeling

Health care centers as an important part of health care industry, in addition to following their major mission, that is, providing high quality health service, can gain environmental and even socioeconomic advantages through reducing environmental effects resulting from their activities. With the aim of gaining these advantages, health care centers can increase their environmental performance through adopting a systematic and proper approach in application of information systems (ISs). The Green information systems (ISs) that indicate a novice approach in application of ISs are considered as necessary tools to realize the goals of environmental sustainability. Health centers are able to achieve sustainability through adopting green information systems. The present research aimed to identify model factors that play roles in the adoption of green information systems by Health care centers. Factors were first identified through literature reviews and theoretical principles, and they were then revised and approved by health industry experts of Kerman province (Iran). Relationships of 12 factors were studied through the interpretive structural modeling. According to the obtained model, the research and development, senior manager's insight and commitment, and the social investment volume were the most important factors in adopting green information systems in health centers. Therefore, health centers should use their past experiences of using information systems to adopt green information systems and expand their green organizational knowledge of this subject. Senior managers also need to resolve challenges of adopting green information systems in health centers by their commitment and insight. Finally, these centers should not only increase the social investment volume, but also take into account relationships of the investment and social considerations in the process of investment in green information systems in order to gain great social benefits with a financial return through the adoption of green information systems.