Studies in health technology and informatics
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Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2007
Whose work practice? Situating an electronic triage system within a complex system.
An electronic triaging system was introduced into a busy children's hospital emergency department. Within 18 months of its introduction, amidst complaints from staff about patient safety related to work slow downs, a decision was made to stop using the system. ⋯ We suggest that difficulties with the triage system resulted partly because data resulting from the triage encounter are used in several domains including the care domain, the access domain, the federal equity and accountability domain, the local accounting and quality domain and the research domain, each of which has different primary stakeholders, with varying needs. Greater attention to identification of data requirements for each of these domains and acknowledgement of varied stakeholder interests prior to software selection and implementation may improve future implementations.
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Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2007
A systems development life cycle approach to patient journey modeling projects.
Patient Journey Modeling, a relatively recent innovation in healthcare quality improvement, models the patient's movement through a Health Care Organisation (HCO) by viewing it from a patient centric perspective. A Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) provides a standard project management framework that can improve the quality of information systems. The concept of following a consistent project management framework to boost quality outcomes can be applied equally to healthcare improvement. ⋯ The key contribution of this paper is the introduction of a project management framework in the form of an SDLC that can be used by non-professional computer developers (ie: health care staff), to improve the consistency and quality of outcomes for patient journey redesign projects. Experiences of applying the SDLC in a midwife-led primary-care maternity services environment are discussed. The project team found the steps logical and easy to follow and produced demonstrable improvement results along with ongoing goal-focused action plans.
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Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2007
Endotracheal intubation training using virtual images: learning with the mobile telementoring intubating video laryngoscope.
Airway management and intubation skills are essential for in-hospital as well as out-of-hospital health care. However, these skills are difficult to learn and maintain. We tested the hypothesis that novice endoscopists (medical students) could rapidly learn intubation skills, and achieve success in routine as well as difficult intubations using an indirect video laryngoscope. Following the success of the students, we believe that indirect laryngoscopy could become a valuable technique in disaster medicine and personnel hampered by chem.-bio suits.
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The relationship between doctors and patients is changing as patients live longer but with a greater incidence of chronic disease. An increase in the availability of information about health coupled with the Choice agenda and a patient-led NHS has encouraged patients to learn more about their own health. Patient access to their own GP-held records has led to the development of a Partnership of Trust whereby patients and their clinicians develop a shared understanding of their health and what each do for each other. This could potentially lead to significant patient and clinician benefits ultimately leading to better outcomes for individuals and societies.
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Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2007
u-SHARE: web-based decision support/risk communication tool for healthcare consumers with unruptured intracranial aneurysms.
Clinical management for unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIA) is controversial and requires professional knowledge which is the main reason that patients have difficulty in making decisions. The purpose of this study is to develop a tool that aids healthcare consumers in making optimal shared decisions with decision analysis. ⋯ Our decision analytic tool was well accepted especially by healthcare consumers. The tool enables UIA patients to enhance their knowledge and understanding toward optimal shared decision making and can be an alternative "structured informed consent tool".