Technology and Decision Making University of Phoenix
Healthcare Informatics
HCS/482
Richard Ong
November 15, 2008
Technology and Decision Making
Technology, decision-making processes, and data accessibility have changed dramatically in recent years. This paper will discuss systems and informatics theories. The paper will confer on the Data, Information, and Knowledge (DIK) Model. The role of expert system in nursing care and medicine will be provided. Decision aids and decision support systems are used everyday providing focus, leadership and direction within technology and will be examined. The use of technology for patient and client management will be explored. An analysis of the impact of technology on healthcare and health status will be investigated.
Systems and Informatics Theories
Systems are “a group of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent elements forming a complex whole” (Systems, n.d., Definition). Systems describe healthcare, schools, computers, and a person. The systems are either open or closed. Closed systems are inoperable to function with others third party products and open systems are designed to allow third party products to plug in or interoperate with the system. Neither system interacts with the environment. Open systems consist of three characteristics; purpose, functions, and structure (Englebardt and Nelson, 2002). Systems can have more than one purpose based on the needs of the user. Functions that the system will need to carry out need to be identified for the system to achieve its purpose. The “systems are structured in ways that allow them to perform their functions” (Englebardt & Nelson, 2002, p.6). The two types of models used to conceptualize the structure of a system; hierarchical and web (Englebardt & Nelson, 2002). Some examples of system applications are; institution wide, specialty support, documentation, administrations, operations, expert, stand alone
References: W.J. Clancey and E.H. Shortliffe, eds. (1984). Readings in Medical Artificial Intelligence: First Decade Cohen, T., First, E., Keil, O. & Wang, B. (2006). Medical equipment management strategies Englebardt, S. P., & Nelson, R. (2002). Health care informatics: An interdisciplinary approach. St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier. Gregory, A. (2006, January/March). Issues of Trust and Ethics in Computerized Clinical Decision Support Systems. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 30(1), Pp. 21-29. Kawanoto, K., Houlihan, C., Balas, A., & Lobach, D. (2005, April 2). Improving clinical practice by using clinical decision support systems: A systematic review of trials to identify features critical to success. BMJ, 330, P. 765-700. Newbold, S. (2008). A new definition for nursing informatics. Retrieved November 10, 2008, from Advance for Nurses: http://nursing.advanceweb.com/Article/A-New-Definition-for-Nursing-Informatics.aspx Steyn, J System. (n.d.). Retrieved November 11, 2008, from Answers.com: http://www.answers.com/topic/system Theoretical Issues Thielst, C. (2007). The future of healthcare technology. Journal of Healthcare Management, 52(1), 7-10. Retrieved from ProQuest database on November 11, 2008.