Exploration and Exploitation with Electronic Medical Record : Information Technology Enabled Organizational Learning in Healthcare

The implementation of electronic medical record (EMR) systems is the hallmark of the digitization of healthcare that the United States and countries around the globe are embarking on with great effort. This study investigates the interplay between the deployment of EMR and the dynamics of exploration and exploitation organizational learning. Based on a sample of hospital users of EMR, we find that exploitation use enhances the outcome of successful EMR implementation, while exploration has little effect. We also find that the dual use of exploitation and exploration tends to reduce the information quality of EMR, supporting the thesis of tensions and competition for resources between the two. Implications of the findings and future research directions are explored