Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the need for a technology acquisition tool to be used in the capital purchasing process in health care organizations.
Design Multi-method approach consisting of interviews of ten executives of health care organizations. A written survey was then mailed to Chief Executive Officers at all hospitals in Arizona, Oregon, and Washington.
Measurements Perceptions were assessed utilizing a mail survey on which CEOs self-ranked themselves on a scale that represented the five adopter categories contained in the Diffusion of Innovation theory, along with several questions regarding the perceived attributes of innovations. Several questions then
measured the need for a technology acquisition tool and what items should be included in a technology assessment tool.
Results The response rate was 18%. Descriptive analysis revealed that 93% of responding CEOs felt that the presence of a technology acquisition tool would help key decision makers during the capital acquisition process. CEOs of the respondent hospitals perceived themselves as more readily adapting new technologies or innovations. The perceived attributes of the innovations Compatability, Complexity, Trailability, and Observability were all supported by responses while Relative Advantage was not.
Major Themes The results support the importance of perceived attributes within the Diffusion of Innovation theory. The use of the Diffusion of Innovation theory to design implementation strategies for a capital acquisition tool may increase its chances for success. While CEOs differed on the types of processes they currently used, they all supported the development and use of a technology acquisition tool
