Post date: Mar 8, 2010 7:03:59 PM
I have embarked on a project to build a synthetic understanding of the complex space of healthcare IT systems. I’ve started with e-prescribing because the paths, processes, and actors are more limited than EMR/EHR systems. There is a great deal of specialized research that relates to specific pieces of e-prescribing which are akin to components in a product. Interpretive synthesis (in my view) is the research equivalent of system architecting where the pieces are integrated into a cohesive design. The architect (researcher) may not have full knowledge of each component (article), but relies upon the component designers (peer-review process) to provide the necessary information. For Organizational Design and Engineering (ODE), the synthetic framework is the collective set of interactions and interfaces within and around the implemented system. Research findings and theoretical insights draw upon this synthetic understanding of the system. Traditional lenses and research paradigms are then applied.
Whether this project is possible, even under the umbrella of methodological pluralism, is unclear. See my Synthesis Research page for background material on the approach that I've collected so far. Feedback is welcome.