Clinicians and accounting: a systematic review and research directions

This paper provides a review of the literature concerning clinicians’ approach to accounting information systems (AISs) in healthcare organizations. The paper examines highly rated accounting and management literature since 1980. Articles are categorized according to their research topics, settings, and methodologies, then findings are analyzed. Results show that clinicians’ resistance to accounting is the consequence of the inadequacy of AISs, which are designed according to reforms inspired by a managerial orientation. This suggests that future research should focus on AISs design, investigating patterns of implementation of AISs that can increase clinicians’ commitment to and use of accounting for decision making.