PERVASIVE INFORMATICS: ITS CURRENT STATUS, FUTURE TRENDS AND WHAT MANAGERS NEED TO KNOW
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
These days, peoples are very much interested in their health and health care reform. Along with this new discoveries of Information age are presenting challenges and opportunities in public health. If we want to increase effectiveness of public health then it becomes necessary to provide reliable, timely information to practitioners and researchers so that they can make information-driven decisions and analyze the present and old knowledge.
Public health informatics is one of the Pervasive Informatics and here in the individual report we will define IT, IS, Public health informatics current status, future trend and what managers need to know, its pros and cons etc.
Public Health Informatics is the study of systematic application of information, computer science and technology to the public health practice, research and learning. It is a recent science developed after invention of digital computer in 1940. Mechanical computing, “Punch-Card data processing system” was used for US census and later developed to support surveys in public health and epidemiology. Shows that Informatics is very versatile and can be used in different sector like Health, Bioinformatics, Nursing etc.
INTRODUCTION
Information Systems(IS) refers process, people, structure and Technology. It is not just the technology an organization uses, but also how an organizational people interact with the technology and the way in which the technology works with the organization’s business process processes. Its four components are as follows:
Process: It involves information processing and analyzing digitally broadly.
Technology: It involves setup, configuration, and maintenance of computer systems, including hardware and software applications broadly.
People: It generally refers to someone who is properly trained and can act as a bridge to connect management with the information side of a company.
Structure: It refers to org. design, reporting and relationships within the organization.
Informatics: is the science, which concerned with gathering, manipulating, storing, retrieving, and classifying recorded information (Definition from www.wordweb.com).
Public Health Informatics (PHI) is a part of informatics deals with public health practice and research. Disease prevention and health promotion can be done in innovative ways through PHI. PHI professionals are specialist in both information technology and public health. So they can solve public health problems using synthesized information generated though PHI system.
Public Health Informatics (PHI) can serve in specialized needs of public health. These are as follows:
- Country health office staffs can estimate number of measles vaccine needed
- It can help in regional planning, census, surveillance etc.
- It can also help epidemiologist in collecting, analyzing and finding the impact of malnutrition among children in different parts of the country.
- Though available information, health education can educate professional and lay audiences in a very compelling manner through multimedia.
It looks analogous to medicine and information technology but there is an overlap among these. Public Health Informatics must focus on speeding and conversion of distribution and determinant of diseases into usable format.
Through its help, synthesized data can be presented very easily using multimedia to the public, summary data can be provided to specialist and Health department. So it becomes very important for Government and Central Health Department. In 21st century every country started developing a full range of Public Health System, which will include different health perspectives useful for the country.
These are the following tools used in public health informatics other than computer
Decision support system: It is a computer system which can analyze two and more than two patient information so that it can generate a specific advice.
Electronic Health Record (HER): It is a lifelong summary of a patient episode, which was gathered through Electronic Patient Record.
Electronic Patient Record (EPR): It is an electronic copy of patient record. It was designed to replace paper based patient records.
Health Database: Health Database is very advanced because it can store text, digit, picture, sound, presentation etc. And it is very accurate and able to search any information very quickly from millions of records.
Geographical Information System (GIS):
This system is able to capture, store, process and display location including other data. Normal database doesn’t generate report showing topological or true scale map, such systems remove these difficulties.
Probability and Statistics
Cognitive and social science, pedagogy etc
PROS AND CONS
PROS
– Synthesized and summary report can be made easily
– Health education can be delivered effectively.
– Heath issues of the country can be recognized and generate recommendations easily.
– Help in regional planning, census and surveillance
CONS
– Requires very high configuration computers like mainframes
– Data must be very accurate
– Specialized database are required to control millions of data
– These data are very confidential so there should be high security even there is a change of data theft by terrorist.
VENDORS AND TOOLS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE
Patient Flow Analysis: It is a statistical analysis and graphical system used in family planning clinic to optimize schedules and the order of service delivery. It reduces waiting time and increases productivity.
Epi Info: It is used to collect, verify and epidemic data so it allows quicker formulation of recommendation and control.
SUDAAN: It is a statistical analysis system used to analyze data from complex cluster surveys.
SETS: It is a system to distribute disease control survey data and specialized analysis software.
ARKANSAS: It is an early intervention system, it links several databases and integrates remote communication. Etc.
FORECAST AND TREND OF THE TECHNOLOGY
Importance of Public Health Informatics will grow day by day in both government and private sector. Many developed countries are using this at big scale already because heath is the prime concern in these developed countries but developing countries are also becoming concerned about health and advanced technology is not far beyond from their access. These smart technologies like smart freeze, micro oven etc are used by general public in developing countries which shows growing health awareness.
EXAMPLES OF BUSINESS IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TECHNOLOGY
– Hospitals
– Clinics
– Nursing home
– Education
– Census
– Government Health Departments etc
IMPORTANCE OF IT/IS TECHNOLOGIES FOR MANAGERS
Following things makes IT/IS technologies important for managers
– Accuracy
– Speed
– Automation
– Networking
– Decision making
– Low cost
– No time restriction i.e. available anytime etc
FIVE QUESTIONS OF MY RESEARCH
Question: What is public health informatics?
Answer: Public Health Informatics (PHI) is a part of informatics, deals with public health practice and research.
Question: Why Public health informatics is important?
Answer: It helps country health office staffs can estimate number of measles vaccine needed and regional planning, census, surveillance etc
Question: What are the steps of public health informatics?
Answer: There are four steps, these are as follows:
- – Examine communities and conducting surveys
- – Identify health concern with their sources
- – Identify resources available to people and their priorities
- – Evaluate interventions then implement programs
Question: Is it feasible in every country?
Answer: No, It is not feasible in every country because there are still many underdeveloped countries; those are not concerned about health.
Question: What are the future prospects of public health informatics?
Answer: Future prospects of PHI are very bright because it will help to sort out many regional health issues of many countries easily.
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