Physician Utilization of Computers:

This study demonstrates how social network analysis can be used to identify the underlying communication and influence structure that affects the diffusion of the use of a computer-based medical information system among physicians. Interviews, hospital records, and computer system tapes were used to collect data on referrals, consultations, and practice characteristics from 24 physicians who comprise a private group practice. Multidimensional scaling was used to spatially represent the referral and consultation network among the physicans. Also, several indices that measure structural characteristics of the network and practice characteristics of physicians were derived. Four groups of physicians were identified who have similar computer utilization patterns and who perform similar roles within the network. The results indicate that the use of network analytic techniques to study complex physician networks may provide new insights into the diffusion process.