Informational Priorities in Health Information Systems

This chapter presents the model of a wide health information system, designed in accordance with information science theories and requirements. The model, based on modern ICT solutions, reflects the idea of information processes (collection, indexing, transfer) as seen in an information science perspective. It concentrates on optimal answering information needs of different categories of patrons, including adaptation of information-retrieval tools to their competencies. The author discusses different types of information indispensable in healthcare practice, analyzes methods of knowledge representation in health information system, proposes methodology of surveying information needs of health professionals, and describes challenges of linguistic tools used in information systems. The author hopes that such a model will emphasis the need of cooperation among ICT, health, and information professionals in designing information structures and processes.

Anesthesia Information Management Systems (AIMS)

This chapter discusses the critical role of anesthesia information management systems (AIMS) in clinical tracking and operating room information management. It begins by reviewing the history and implementation of such systems and examines their current abilities and utilities. The current known benefits of AIMS, as documented by peer-reviewed literature, are examined. Possible additional benefits, both future and current, and the potential role of AIMS in future healthcare information management are discussed. Though AIMS vary greatly between individual systems and will continue to evolve over time, this chapter aims to highlight fundamental system features. The goal of this chapter is to broaden understanding of AIMS and their clinical utility, as they have an essential part of modern operative care.

Accelerometer-Based Acimetry as Technology Applied to Healthcare

This chapter reviews new quantification possibilities for the assessment of physical activity, a variable intimately related to good health. First, a variety of existing instruments are described with regard to their validity and functionality. Then, their applications are analyzed and categorized into two broad branches: sedentary lifestyle prevention and applications in special population segments. The authors’ intention is to make existing possibilities for assessment of physical activity known to researchers and public health professionals, as it is important for the achievement and promotion of active and healthy lifestyles in the population.

Interactive Communication Tools for Health Education

This chapter introduces an interactive communication tool, the ‘HRA System’. The recent rapid penetration of the Internet has made it a leading mode for gathering and sharing health information. People who access information on the Internet differ considerably in their ‘health literacy’, or the ability to understand and act on health information. The HRA System was developed in an effort to promote health education among people with inadequate health literacy. The system was designed in accordance with the clients’ health literacy skills, as well as the clients’ computer skills. A number of healthcare providers have registered with our research group to provide health education using the HRA System to the general public. The authors provide some ideas regarding how to apply interactive communication technology to health education successfully.

Health Technology Assessment

Scientific publications in medical fields are rapidly increasing and are overwhelming in numbers. This poses a challenge to health authorities, and health professionals who need knowledge to make informed decisions in finding the best evidence for treatment and practice in the health provision to the public. They need an accessible system that handle the information flow using a systematic approach. This applies to developing and industrialized countries alike. The rapid development of health technologies with the introduction of new drugs, devices, and complex treatment modalities to achieve better health outcomes increases the need for evaluation of the treatment effect. This chapter illustrates how the health service handles the information flow utilizing information technology, and the great benefit that is gained by this methodology.

Integration Issues in the Healthcare Supply Chain

The efficacy, quality, responsiveness, and value of healthcare services provided is increasingly attracting the attention and the questioning of governments, payers, patients, and healthcare providers. Investments on integration technologies and integration of supply chain processes, has been considered as a way towards removing inefficiencies in the sector. This chapter aims to initially provide an in depth analysis of the healthcare supply chain and to present core entities, processes, and flows. Moreover, the chapter explores the concept of integration in the context of the healthcare sector, and indentifies the integration drivers, as well as challenges.

The Implementation of Innovative Technologies in Healthcare

Proven cost-effectiveness of innovative technologies is more and more a necessary condition for implementation in clinical practice. But proven cost-effectiveness itself does not guarantee successful implementation of an innovation. A reason for this could be the potential discrepancy between efficiency on the long run, on which cost-effectiveness is based, and efficiency on the short run. In economics, long run and short run efficiency are discussed in the context of economies of scale. This chapter addresses the usefulness of cost-effectiveness for decision making considering the potential discrepancy between long run and short run efficiency of innovative technologies in healthcare, the potential consequences for implementation in daily clinical practice, explores diseconomies of scale in Dutch hospitals, and makes suggestions for what strategies might help to overcome hurdles to implement innovations due to that short run-long run efficiency discrepancy.

Improving the Quality of Healthcare Research Data Sets

The goal of many healthcare research projects and evidence based medicine programs within healthcare organizations is to support clinical care team members by mining evidence from patient outcomes to support future treatment recommendations. In these research studies, the data is often extracted from secondary sources such as patient health records, benefits systems, and other nonresearch data sources. Good data is important to facilitate a good research study and to support clinical decisions using the results. Often multiple applicable healthcare data sources are available for a research study, some of which may be internal to the organization, while others may be external, such as state or national databases. This chapter attempts to develop an understanding of how the quality of data for healthcare research data sets can be established and improved when using secondary data sources, such as clinical or benefits databases, which were created without primary intentions for research use.

Health Technology Assessment in Health Economics

This chapter introduces health technology assessment and health economics as tools for decision makers to allocate scarce resources in the healthcare sector. It argues that information about the safety, efficacy and effectiveness, organizational implications, social and ethical consequences, legal considerations, and health economic aspects of the application of a health technology needs to be taken into account with a view to informing decisions about the registration and reimbursement of a health technology. Also, the author hopes that understanding the methodology and use of health technology assessment and health economics will persuade the reader of the added value of such studies and promote the application of health technologies that support further health improvements, whilst containing health expenditure.

A Telehealth Technology Model for Information Science in Rural Settings

Examined is the application of telehealth technology in a rural community clinical and educational system. Telehealth is viewed as the removal of time and distance barriers in the provision of healthcare and patient education to underserved populations (Nickelson, 1996). Presented is a clinical consultation model of healthcare for underserved populations and where professional consultation with a team of professionals may benefit rural educational systems and their students. Offered are specific applications within a broad spectrum of services utilizing telehealth technology. Finally, shifts in administrative paradigms, clinical models, and educational information technology for healthcare services through telehealth technology are explored.