Knowledge-Based Clinical Decision Making, Essay Example

Health Informatics

Health informatics is an interdisciplinary field that uses information science and varying methods within information science to analyze and comprehend health care information in a more concise and systematic way. This is a way to improve problem-solving and the way that health professionals make decisions on how to deliver the best care possible to patients. The power of information science and technology is used to improve health outcomes with health informatics (Dalrymple, 2011). This is an efficient way to manage knowledge generation and representation in health information technology. Accordingly, knowledge is an important element in dealing with the concept of health informatics as it relates to health information technology. Therefore, to understand health informatics, one must also understand the meaning of knowledge. According to Merriam-Webster, knowledge is information, understanding, or skill gained from experience or education(knowledge, n.d.). Oxford Dictionaries defines knowledge as theoretical or practical understanding of a subject(knowledge-2, n.d.).

The purpose of this paper is to discuss how knowledge generation, management, and representation connect with health information technology and health informatics, regarding types of knowledge and how they are used in the health care setting, which includes decision making in the clinical setting, based on knowledge.

Knowledge Generation and Management

In the health care setting, clinical and managerial professionals are charged with the task of making the correct decisions when considering the needs and the safety of patients. Knowledge management provides an integrated approach to decision making, and it entails identifying, managing, and sharing information needs within an organization. These information needs include important documents, policies, databases, procedures, protected health records, etc. Managing all of these information resources requires the use of advance information technology systems. Health informatics uses advanced information technology systems to integrate knowledge from various areas of the health organization, such as clinical, diagnostic, public health, and imaging, to name a few (Brown, Pasupathy, & Popescu, 2012).

Health Information Technology and Public Health

One of the most important uses for health informatics and health information technology is for managing public health information, which can affect the population at large. This is important for the management of healthcare services and coordinating healthcare delivery and the allocation of healthcare resources. Health informatics can help medical professionals monitor patient health status, use information technology to diagnose and explore health problems, and conduct research for innovation and solutions to health problems. Additionally, health informatics can be used for policy development and implementation in the healthcare setting. And, finally, health informatics can be used to enforce laws and regulations for protecting the health and safety of the public, attract and retain competent workforces in the healthcare environment, and to interact with and connect to patients, doctors, and other healthcare professionals (PHDSC, 2007).

Conclusion

Health Informatics and health information technology are put into place to ensure the effective management, use, and monitoring of healthcare agency information such as electronic records, hard copy files, patient information, medical records, pharmaceutical information, administrative records, etc. to maintain support systems throughout the healthcare organization to facilitate efficient and satisfactory outcomes of healthcare practices as well as to provide centralized access to the healthcare organization’s data. This is done through gaining knowledge and offering effective training to those individuals who are responsible for maintaining accurate, up-to-date, and thorough information.

References

Brown, G. D., Pasupathy, K. S., & Popescu, M. (2012). Knowledge-based Clinical Decision Making. In Health Informatics: A Systems Perspective. Health Administration Press.

Dalrymple, P. W. (2011, June/July). Data, Information, Knowledge: The Emerging Field of Health Informatics. Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 37(5), 41-44. Retrieved from Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology.

knowledge. (n.d.). Retrieved from Merriam-Webster: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knowledge

knowledge-2. (n.d.). Retrieved from Oxford Dictionaries: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/knowledge

PHDSC. (2007). Building a Roadmap for Health Information Systems Interoperability for Public Health. Public Health Data Standards Consortium.