RFID translation into Australian Hospitals: An exploration through Actor-Network Theoretical(ANT) Lens Chandana Unnithan, Lemai Nguyen, Bardo Fraunholz School of Information Systems, Faculty of Business & Law, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia chandana.unnithan@deakin.edu.au lemai.nguyen@deakin.edu.au bardo.fraunholz@deakin.edu.au Arthur Tatnall School of Management and Information Systems Victoria University. Melbourne, Australia arthur.tatnall@vic.edu.au Abstract — Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a technology that has been deployed successfully for asset tracking within hospitals aimed at improving the quality of processes. In the Australian hospitals context however, adoption of this technology seem sporadic. This research reports on a long-term investigation to gain a deeper understanding of the socio- technical factors involved in the adoption of RFID in Australian hospitals. The research was conducted using interpretive multiple case methodology and results analyzed through the Actor- Network Theoretical (ANT) Lens. Keywords - RFID; Translation; Actor-Network Theory (ANT); Australia; Information Systems I. INTRODUCTION The use of Information Technology in large hospitals is dynamic and complex. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a fairly guileless technology that has been explored for process improvements in hospitals worldwide in the past decade. Its location tracking ability and relative non- complexity to integrate with other clinical systems made it attractive for hospitals. Existing literature [1][2] endorses that its ability to track high value and frequently used equipment in emergencies, critical-care wards and in operating theatres [3] has made it appealing for large hospitals, where resources are often distributed and equipment is shared to optimize costs. Conversely, literature [4] also indicates that RFID is not easily adopted into large hospitals without being customized to the context. In the Australian context, RFID integration was initially restricted due to technical issues such as inability to integrate with legacy clinical systems and high costs involved in large-scale implementation [5]. Over the past few years, with the advent of e-health records implementation, diffusion of wireless networks, advances in RFID technology and reduced costs of related equipment are technological factors that encouraged many experiments with asset tracking in critical care areas of hospitals. The motivation behind these pilots was to test the technology in small areas and if they were successful, a hospital wide implementation could be planned. However, even after successful pilots, large hospitals seem to be reluctant to scale to full-scale implementations. In the second half of the last decade, the research project reported in this paper was established in this premise. While technological factors seemingly were not inhibitors and RFID was being accepted as a useful technology in hospitals, reports are still emerging on successful adoption within hospitals. This study reports on the results from a long-term project aimed at a deeper understanding the socio-technical factors relating to successful translation of RFID technology in Australian hospitals for process improvements. The study was based on the proposition that it is not technological factors, but rather socio-technical factors that impede the translation of RFID in Australian hospitals. II. RESEARCH FRAMEWORK A. Methodology Qualitative Interpretive case study methodology [6,7,13] was used in this investigation that involved two large hospitals in Australia where RFID has been deployed. The first hospital was the pioneer in deploying RFID in its early avatar, with a successful pilot but abandoned implementation. The second hospital deployed RFID in its latest avatar customizing it to varied contexts within the hospital. A full-scale implementation then ensued. The study compared the two cases in an interpretive cross-case analysis [6,13] and drew conclusions using the framework of innovation-translation theory and the lens of Actor-Network Theory. The interpretive approach was adopted to explore the relationship between actors involved in the process of deployment and translation of RFID technology in the respective hospitals. The use of qualitative methods is often recommended when information systems researchers attempt to understand portents in terms of the meaning people bring to them. In this investigation, the researchers focused on understanding the factors that lead to successful translation of RFID technology in Australian hospitals, within the boundaries of health care that are specific to the context. Data collection for the study was semi-structured interviews, focus groups and secondary document analysis. While the semi-structured interviews enabled informal and free flowing conversations, focus groups enabled the interaction between varied actors. The sample consisted of a mixture of technologists, strategists and medical staff (nurses, patient care orderlies, pharmacists, ward staff, clinicians). The main