Introduction to Health Informatics PDF

Introduction to Health Informatics Dr. Abeer Elhaj Kha l id, VD Learning objectives At the end of this lesson the student will be able to Define: What health informatics is and discuss its application Common health informatics terminologies The sub-domains of health informatics and identify appli...

Introduction to Health Informatics Dr. Abeer Elhaj Kha l id, VD Learning objectives At the end of this lesson the student will be able to Define: What health informatics is and discuss its application Common health informatics terminologies The sub-domains of health informatics and identify applications for each sub-domain Key players in HIT Benefits & Barriers of HIT adoption Kha l id, VD Health informatics Health informatics: The study of information processing as it is used in healthcare.  The field that deals with the storage, retrieval, sharing, and optimal use of health information, data, and knowledge for problem solving and decision making. It includes science and practice of healthcare, its information and knowledge and their management with information and communication technologies to promote the health of people, families and communities worldwide. Kha l id, VD Terminologies of Health Informatics What is Informatics? Informatics is the application of information technologies to optimize the information management function within an organization How does it differ from Information Technology, Information Science, Computer Science? 1. Information Technology: “is the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware’’ Kha l id, VD Terminologies of Health Informatics 2. Information Science: “is an interdisciplinary science primarily concerned with the analysis, collection, classification, manipulation, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information” 3. Computer Science: “is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems” Kha l id, VD Terminologies of Health Informatics What is Information? “Information is data that has been processed into a form that is meaningful to the recipient” What is the DIKW hierarchy? The DIKW Pyramid represents the relationships between data, information, knowledge and wisdom. Each building block is a step towards a higher level - first comes data, then is information, next is knowledge and finally comes wisdom. Each step answers different questions about the initial data and adds value to it. The more we enrich our data with meaning and context, the more knowledge and insights we get out of it so we can take better, informed and data-based decisions. Kha l id, VD DIKW Hierarchy Kha l id, VD Terminologies of Health Informatics Information System: Is any combination of information technology and people's activities using that technology to support operations, management, and decision making In a broad sense, refers to the interaction between people, algorithmic processes, data and technology In a narrow sense, refers to the specific application software that is used to store data records in a computer system and automate activities Kha l id, VD What is Health Informatics?  “The intersection of information science, computer science, and health care” Deals with the resources, devices, and methods required to optimize the acquisition, storage, retrieval, and use of information in health and biomedicine The tools include computers, clinical guidelines, formal medical terminologies, and information and communication systems Kha l id, VD Biomedical Informatics Biomedical Informatics in Perspective Basic Research, Applied Research And Practice Biomedical Informatics Methods, Techniques, and Theories Imaging Informatics, Clinical Informatics, Bioinformatics, Public Health Informatics, Molecular and Cellular Processes, Tissues and Organs Individuals (Patients), Populations And Society Biomedical Informatics ≠ Health Informatics Kha l id, VD Sub domains of Health Informatics 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Clinical informatics Medical informatics Nursing informatics Public health informatics Bioinformatics Imaging informatics Pharmacy informatics 8. Dental informatics 9. Veterinary informatics 10. Consumer health informatics 11. eHealth 12. Clinical research informatics 13. Translational research informatics 14. etc. Kha l id, VD 1. Clinical Informatics Clinical Informatics: is use of information in health care by clinicians Clinicians use their knowledge of patient care combined with their understanding of informatics concepts, methods, and health informatics tools to: 1. Assess information and knowledge needs of health care professionals and patients 2. Develop, implement, and refine clinical decision support systems 3. Develop health informatics tools which promote patient care that is safe, efficient, effective, timely, patient-centered, and equitable Kha l id, VD 2. Medical Informatics “Medical Informatics is the branch of science concerned with the use of computers and communication technology to acquire, store, analyze, communicate, and display medical information and knowledge to facilitate understanding and improve the accuracy, timeliness, and reliability of decision making” 3. Nursing Informatics: “a combination of computer science, information science, and nursing science designed to assist in the management and processing of nursing data, information, and knowledge to support nursing practice, education, research, and administration“ Kha l id, VD 4. Public Health Informatics “the systematic application of information and computer science and technology to public health practice, research and learning” Activities may include: Collection and storage of vital statistics Collection and reporting of communicable diseases Disease surveillance Display disease statistics and trends Immunization Hospital statistics Kha l id, VD 5. Bioinformatics Bioinformatics, is the application of statistics and computer science to the field of molecular biology. It is also defined as the sum of the computational approaches to analyze, manage, and store biological data. Common activities in bioinformatics include: 1. Mapping and analyzing DNA and protein sequences 2. Aligning different DNA and protein sequences to compare them 3. Creating and viewing 3-D models of protein structures Kha l id, VD 6. Imaging Informatics & 7. Dental Informatics 6. Imaging Informatics also called Radiology Informatics or Medical Imaging Informatics It is devoted to the study of how information about and contained within medical images is retrieved, analyzed, enhanced, and exchanged throughout the medical enterprise 7. Dental Informatics: Is the application of computer and information science to improve dental practice, research, and program administration Kha l id, VD 8. Pharmacy Informatics & 9. Veterinary Informatics 8. Pharmacy Informatics: Is a sub-discipline of Health Informatics that deals with the integration of information technology and its applications into the pharmaceutical practice. Focuses on leveraging (influencing) technology systems to ensure optimal patient safety, compliance, and health outcomes Medication selection , use and administration 9. Veterinary Informatics: “Is the discipline concerned with the applications of information science, engineering, and computer technology to support veterinary teaching, research, and practice” Kha l id, VD 10. Consumer Health Informatics “the branch of medical informatics that analyses consumers’ needs for information; studies and implements methods of making information accessible to consumers; and models and integrates consumers’ preferences into medical information systems” It is also: A subspecialty of medical informatics Studies from a patient/consumer perspective the use of electronic information Focuses on patients as the primary users of health information Kha l id, VD 11. eHealth & 12. Electronic Medical Records (EMR) 11. eHealth is also written “e-health”: “is defined as the use of emerging interactive technologies (e.g., Internet, CD- ROMs, personal digital assistants, interactive television and voice response systems, computer kiosks, and mobile computing) to enable health improvement and health care services” 12. Electronic Medical Records (EMR): describes an EMR as encompassing: “A longitudinal collection of electronic health information for and about persons Electronic access to person- and population- level information by authorized users Provision of knowledge and decision-support systems [that enhance the quality, safety, and efficiency of patient care] and Support for efficient processes for health care delivery" Kha l id, VD 13. mHealth mHealth: “…the provision of health-related services via mobile communications” mHealth applications include: the use of mobile devices in collecting community and clinical health data delivery of healthcare information to practitioners, researchers, and patients real-time (immediate) monitoring of patient vital signs and direct provision of care (via mobile telemedicine) Kha l id, VD 14.Telemedicine Telemedicine: “the use of electronic signals to transfer medical data from one site to another via the internet, telephones, PCs, satellites, or videoconferencing equipment in order to improve access to health care” Telemedicine can be: As simple as two doctors talking about a patient through the telephone or As complex as a sophisticated global hospital enterprise network that supports real-time remote surgical operations Kha l id, VD Key players in HIT Patients Physicians and nurses Support staff Public health Federal and state governments Medical educators Insurance companies Hospitals Medical researchers Technology vendors Kha l id, VD Benefits of HIT adoption 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Increase the efficiency of health care (improve physician, nurse and overall healthcare productivity) Improve the quality (patient outcomes) of healthcare, resulting in improved patient safety Reduce healthcare costs Improve healthcare access with technologies such as telemedicine Improve communication, coordination, and continuity of care Improve medical education for clinicians and patients Standardize of medical care Kha l id, VD Barriers to HIT adoption 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Inadequate time to adopt Inadequate information to use Inadequate expertise and workforce Inadequate cost and return on investment data High cost to adopt Lack of interoperability Change in workforce Privacy concerns (HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) Legal issues Behavioral change Kha l id, VD How HIT plays a role Provides the tools to generate information from data that humans (clinicians and researchers) can turn into knowledge and wisdom. To improve human decision making with usable information Health Data EHR Claims Data Data Warehouse HIE Home Monitoring PHR Promote data in formats that can be rapidly transmitted, shared and analyzed. – EHRs, HIE (Health Information Exchange), and multiple hospital electronic information systems provide the ability and the need to collate and analyze large amounts of data to improve health and financial decisions. Kha l id, VD CPOE & e-prescribing Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE): An EHR feature that processes orders for medications, lab tests, imaging, consults and other diagnostic tests. Electronic Prescribing (e-prescribing): An electronic system to support a prescriber's ability to electronically send an accurate, error-free and understandable prescription directly to a pharmacy from the point-of-care. Kha l id, VD Summary Information is important & everywhere in healthcare  Health IT helps improve quality of care and reduces errors by health workers  Informatics is an interdisciplinary field, with medical informatics as one key sub-field  Medical informatics plays important roles in today and future’s patient care Kha l id, VD References Bernstam EV, Smith JW, Johnson TR. What is biomedical informatics? J Biomed Inform. 2010 Feb;43(1):104-10. Greenes RA, Shortliffe EH. Medical informatics. An emerging academic discipline and institutional priority. JAMA. 1990 Feb 23;263(8):1114-1120. Hersh W. A stimulus to define informatics and health information technology. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2009;9:24. Hersh W. Health and biomedical informatics: opportunities and challenges for a twenty-first century profession and its education. Yearb Med Inform. 2008:157-164. Kha l id, VD Kha l id, VD