Prelim | Intro to Informatics & Information Science

Data

raw facts

Information

data that has been processed using knowledge to become meaningful & valuable

Data & Information

Healthcare professionals process data into info to provide optimal patient care

Data Integrity

Data must be whole. Complete, correct, & consistent

Data Integrity

Data integrity can be compromised by human error, computer bugs, hardware failures, transmission errors, or hackers

Data Integrity

Safeguards like routine backups, error detection, and user-friendly interfaces help maintain data integrity

Data Quality

High quality data must be relevant & accurately represent concepts

Data Quality

“dirty” data (ex: duplictae, incomplete, outdated) can lead to misleading info

Data Quality

Clean data are essential for producing meaningful & reliable data

Knowledge

Understanding & awareness of information, making it useful for specific tasks or decision-making

Knowledge

an architect designs a bldg. based on knowledge of its purpose, size requirements, & the no. of users. This knowledge helps transform raw data into actionable info

Wisdom

knowledge and experience

Wisdom

Ability to act appropriately using knowledge & experience

Wisdom

Goes beyond knowledge by applying insight & sound judgement

Wisdom

Wisdom integrates mew & old knowledge to enhance decision-making & practical actions

Practice

Clinicians need effective information systems to process data and develop wisdom, this empowers them to make better decisions & improve patient care

Practice

Without proper information processing, there is risk of having too much data & not enough wisdom

• Accessibility

• Security

• Timeliness

• Accuracy

• Relevance

• Completeness

• Flexibility

• Reliability

• Objectively

• Utility

• Transparency

• Verifiability

• Reproducibility

Characteristics of Valuable Information

Information Science

Study of how info & knowledge are applied & used within organizations, focusing on interaction between people. Organizations, & info systems

Interdisciplinary Nature of Information Science

Integrates elements from cognitive science (ex: exams on MS Teams), communication science, computer science, library science, & social science (ex: group discussion via MS Teams)

Interdisciplinary Nature of Information Science

Focuses on big picture of how info flows & is managed, rather than just individual technologies

• input

• processing

• output

• feedback

Key Components of Information Science

Technologic Determinism

Information Science (IS) addresses technologic determinism, idea that technology evolves according to its own laws & influences all aspects of society

Technologic Determinism

IS examines how human needs & organizational goals shape & are shaped by technology

Stakeholder Interface

Relationship between people & technology is crucial

Stakeholder Interface

Explores how stakeholders (users) interact w/ systems, generate, use & find info

Stakeholder Interface

in healthcrae, IS might examine how electronic health records (EHRs) are used by doctors & nurses to improve patient care

Information Science

Improve society’s capability to handle info by focusing on user-centered approaches that efficiently link people, information, & technology

Information Science

developing use-friendly apps for patients to access their medical records & communicate w/ healthcare providers

Information Science

Utilizes computational tools like hardware, software, networking, & algorithm to process data, create info, & generate knowledge

Information Science

Human & machine systems work together to create meaningful info & knowledge that can be practically applied

Information Processing

Process of acquiring, processing, & generating info, linking people & technology

Information Processing

Humans & machines both act as info systems, constantly handluing data & generating knwledge

Knowledge Acquisition

gathering data & info

Knowledge Processing

converting data into meaningful info using knowledge

Knowledge Generation

creating new knowledge from info

Knowledge Dissemination

sharing knowledge w/ others

Information System

Systems designed to acquire, process, & disseminate data & info

Information System

They facilitate communication, tracking, & research within organizations, especially in healthcare

Information System

Historically, different units within healthcare operated in silos with separate systems (e.g., lab, finance, clinical) -> This hindered interoperability & info sharing

Information System

Modern integrated ISs enable org wide communication & data exchange

Chief Info Officer (CIO)

Manages info technology infrastructure, often involved in broader knowledge management roles

Chief Technical Officer (CTO)

Focuses on technical issues, research, & development

Input / Data Acquisition

Collecting raw data from various sources within healthcare environment

Input / Data Acquisition

Electronic health record (HER) systems, barcode scanners, patient monitoring devices, & touchscreens

Input / Data Acquisition

A nurse inputs a pt. vital signs into an HER system using a touchscreen interface. Lab results are entered into the system using barcode scanners

Processing

Transforming raw data into meaningful information through actions like storing, comparing, calculating, & applying formulas

Processing

Drug Interaction Monitoring – HER systems analyze patient medication lists to identify potential drug

Processing

Clinical Decision Support – systems process recommendations for clinical decisions, such as suggesting additional tests based on symptoms & history

Output

Producing useful info & reports tailored to needs of healthcare professionals & patients

Output

Patient Reports – generating & displaying pt. summaries, including lab results & treatment plans for physicians to review

Output

Alerts & Reminders – sending automatic alerts for upcoming pt. appointment, medication refills, or abnormal test results to both pt. and healthcare providers

Feedback / Response

Providing reactions to input & processing to correct & enhance system operations

Feedback / Response

Error Notification – alerting users when there is an input error such as duplicate pt. record, & suggesting corrective actions