Table 2 Context-mechanism-outcome (C-M-O) summary of workplace health IS use - Manitoba, Canada

Context

Surveillance system - created to assist occupational health (OH) department’s health professionals in a large (7,000+ workers) well-resourced teaching hospital with their primary and secondary prevention activities as well as for implementation research (database not containing fields necessary for claims cost containment).

Bipartite (union-employer) health and safety (H&S) committee supportive; labour relations amicable.

Mechanism

Governance: Developed under auspices of a university-hospitalpartnership (which informed a bipartite H&S committee), with an affiliation agreement in place for collaborative research and service.

Technology: Easily accessible; existing standard software (Excel, Access databases).

Outcome

Decrease in injury rates and time loss due to injuries demonstrated; information also used to improve vaccination programs, and foster good research.

Conclusion

Useful and sustainable, albeit limited to one workplace as system not web-based, and screens not optimally user-friendly, so required commitment to data collection and data entry.

“Tool”, but not a highly efficient one. The power dynamics were such that the risk that the IS would be used as a “weapon” was minimal.