A Decision Support System for Investigating the Critical Success Factors of ICT Project Implementation in the Health Sector: A Case Study of the UK National Health Service (NHS)

Abstract

Despite numerous previous studies on critical success factors (CSFs) on projects, the rate at which Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) projects still fail is very alarming and most especially with respect to their implementations in the health sector. Many authors have alluded the reasons for these to the complexity and difficulties in deciding the factors inherent in implementing even smaller-scale systems in this sector. Therefore, this research develops a decision scheme for investigating the critical factors that are responsible for the successful implementation of ICT projects in the health sector using the UK National Health Service (NHS) as a case study. Empirical data were collected through mixed method research techniques which included semi-structured interviews and survey questionnaires. The collected data were analysed using SPSS descriptive, inferential and analytical statistics. The CSFs were identified and then ranked in order of importance. Furthermore, the barriers to successful ICT project implementation in the healthcare sector were identified and examined. Based on the research findings, solutions were also proffered to these barriers. Finally, an integrated decision model was developed to provide a holistic framework for successful implementation of ICT projects in the health sector.