A review of applications of the sociotechnical systems approach to health care organizations.

This article reviews the use of sociotechnical systems (STS) theory and methodology to the health care industry. The review indicates that health care delivery is an industry with a significantly complex mixture of technical and social component, one particularly well suited to STS. The authors briefly define the STS approach, provide a history of research on STS in health care settings, match elements of STS with elements of health care organizations to determine degree of fit, present issues and topics for further research, and discuss the general application and approach.