This paper explores information sharing in multidisciplinary clinical collaboration between three hospitals. Our study draws on qualitative interviews with surgeons and radiologists in two county hospitals and one university hospital. The analysis shows that the actors shared a restricted amount of information about the patients they have in common and that different actors used the shared information in different ways. However, much communication was still needed to clarify and negotiate the meaning of shared data and its implications for collaborative care. To conclude, while the arguments for a shared information space may appear convincing, the communication practice observed should illustrate that IS also needs to support the communicative process in clinical collaborative work.
Academic Medical Centers Access to Information