The Impact of Communication Technology Applications on the Functions of Public Relations in the Health Sector of Jordan

Abstract

This study aims to identify the impact of communication technology applications on the functions of public relations including: research, planning , communication and evaluation. It also aims to indicate differences of the impact of these applications on the functions of public relations according to some demographic and functional variables. A questionnaire was designed which included (58) items that have been distributed to 130 employees in the 31 hospitals in the capital Amman in 2012. In order to achieve the study objectives , the data were analyzed by using the SPSS softwareThe study arrived at the following conclusions: - Jordan's health sector uses communication technology at high level of 2.46, technology was used in communication and public relations functions in the following order: planning, communication, research and evaluation. - Simple regression proved that there is impact of the use of communication technology on the four functions of public relations according to the coefficient of determination interpreted. Results have been found as follows: (research.372 , planning.363 , communication.317 , evaluation.318). - There were statistically significant differences in the fields of communication technology, research, planning and communication depending on the gender with the exception of evaluation. - No statistically significant differences of the impact of communication technology applications in all the functions of public relations were seen due to age and experience. - The differences were statistically significant in the use of communication technology and planning. The differences were valid for the Ph.D and Masters degrees, while the rest of the functions were not statistically significant. - No statistically significant differences were noticed in both the use of communication technology, research, planning and communication according to specialization, with the exception of evaluation function where it was statistically significant. - -The differences were statistically significant in the areas of use of communication technology and research due to job title. The differences were in favor of the head of department while the remaining areas (planning , communication , and evaluation) did not show any differences. - The differences were statistically significant in the five areas of study (the use of communication technology, research, planning, communication and evaluation), due to the type of the sector.