The concepts field and habitus are used widely and variably in institutional theory. The intellectual antecedents are found in the work of the French Sociologist, Pierre Bourdieu. This study presents a field-level analysis of pan-European policy on cross-border health information technology. Using field theory and institutional theory, we situate field as a multi-level concept which extends institutional and organizational levels of analysis. Empirical data is gathered from European policymakers, health professionals and patient advocacy groups on the diffusion of supra-national health information technology across European Member States. Findings reveal four scenarios depicting field tensions, as ideological and practical imperatives of supra-national health information technology policy mis-align with Member State health systems. This study has implications for policy-makers and other stakeholders, who seek to narrow the digital divide across health fields and sub-fields.

场域和惯习概念在制度理论中被广泛使用。在法国社会学家皮埃尔·布迪厄 (Pierre Bourdieu) 的著作中可以找到知识分子的先例。本研究对泛欧跨境卫生信息技术政策进行了实地分析。使用场域理论和制度理论，我们将场域定位为一个多层次的概念，它扩展了制度和组织层面的分析。实证数据是从欧洲政策制定者、卫生专业人员和患者倡导团体那里收集的，这些数据涉及在欧洲成员国之间传播超国家卫生信息技术。调查结果揭示了四种描述领域紧张局势的情景，因为超国家卫生信息技术政策的意识形态和实际要求与会员国卫生系统不一致。