Assignment Example on Nature of Health Informatics

In what ways are the information needs of physicians and nurses at Presbyterian Hospital similar? In what ways are they different?

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Nurses and physicians at Presbyterian Hospital have different information needs, however, according to the study; there are many instances in which they are similar. For instance, both the different groups of health practitioners require information which would be used to obtain a patient, about a given domain and the specific institution to which the patient is attached. Furthermore, both the physicians and nurses rely on the need to identify the appropriate providers and establish a reliable contact with them. This appears to be one of the instances common to the nurses and physicians, and which cover the most pressing communication need. Moreover, all of the different groups as presented by the experience communication difficulties with information need whereby there is a possibility of the occurrence of the diverse events.

There were considerable differences in the information needs regarding the sources and means through which they would meet them. For instance, physicians recognize the online methods of getting the information specific to the customer. On the same note, they rely on the data generated from the laboratory tests and saved in a given online platform for the use by such professionals. Nurses are, however, different from the physicians in this context whereby McKnight, L. (2002) indicated that they showed relatively less interest in such criteria of gaining achieving their information needs.

From the study, select three to four specific information needs and identify key data inputs, processes and outputs necessary for the information to be accurate and useful.

i). Medical formulas linked to patient data

Data sets from the administrative records can be used as a considerable basis for effecting the improvement of the medical formulas linked to patient data. The datasets can be generated from the systems as well as the survey based on the specific patient whose condition is under the management of the physician or nurse. The survey data goes through thorough assessment to give out a considerable piece of information.

ii). A central list of current providers for the patient (consultants, nurses)

A physician needs information got from processing the data on current health care providers. The data may contain the characteristics of the types of information and communication patterns among the healthcare providers. The processing will analyze the data to give useful information which would further help in interventions based on informatics.

iii). Outpatient notes

The data earlier on recorded by the health providers on the treatment prescription of a patient will be important for further processing to give applicable information to improve the interventions. This call for the need to get the exact information or data recorded elsewhere, and approved for reference rather than the use of information based on the human memory.

For each of the information needs selected above, describe what systems and methods of communication you believe would be best for sharing and communicating the information and knowledge. Explain why

i). Medical formulas linked to patient data

There is need to establish systems and methods through which physicians and nurses can address information needs related to medical formulas linked to the patient-specific data. McKnight (2002) recognizes specific methods to intervene in such instances citing various issues related to the patient-specific data. For instance, the healthcare practitioners involved should embrace transformative information services which increases the access of the information to the physicians or nurses involved. The emerging system will improve most ways through which information would be managed. Besides access, processing, storage and transmission will be made much easier. This will serve as a potential way through which sharing and communication of information of knowledge will be made easier.

ii). A central list of current providers for the patient (consultants, nurses)

An organization can consider using information communication which can ensure that nurses or physicians get the required information in time without necessary having to intervene physically. This call for the need to embrace communication systems and methods based on the online platforms. This responds to domain-specific information which will be provided by the media such the online databases textbooks which are linked to patient medication care provider data. This will serve as the channel through which a health professional will be able to gain access to such piece of information. The method will show a physician, for example, the necessary data regarding the current health providers of the patient in question; the health providers may include, nurses and consultants. Subsequently, the information will of importance in prescription of further care. Besides the prescription the physician attending to the patient at a given moment will need to contact the consultants and nurses to get further information on the patient. The online processes therefore serve to secure ways through which enable the physician secure contact with the current providers in case they need any data regarding the patient's medical history.

iii). Outpatient notes

Physicians and nurses can experience an improved sharing of information and communication on the outpatient notes through general survey and referral-specific survey. The methods can be effective in the event in which there is need to solve substantial problems most likely to occur in the referral process. Moreover, the noted methods will ensure physician satisfaction, timely access of information, and adequate interphysician content of communication McKnight, L. (2002). This level of effectiveness experienced in sharing of information can be traced with the congruency of the general survey and referral-specific survey. The methods will be further important in in the improvement of the referral system and consequently add value to the patient care quality as well as the physician satisfaction.

References

McKnight, L. (2002). Perceived Information Needs and Communication Difficulties of Inpatient Physicians and Nurses. Journal Of The American Medical Informatics Association, 9(90061), 64S-69. Doi: 10.1197/jamia.m1230