INFORMATICS LEC - Unit 1.1: Introduction to Pharmacy Informatics

Informatics

Application of computer and information sciences to the management and processing of data, information, and knowledge

Pharmacy Informatics

The integration and use of knowledge, information, and technology in the medication-use process

Data

• Discrete & Objective facts

• _____ by itself has no meaning

  • ex. 20, Juan Dela Cruz, 180/100

Information

• Data that has relevance & purpose

• Has meaning

• Contextualized and Categorized

  • ex. 20 refers to the age of patient

Knowledge

• Combining information with experiences, norms, etc.

  • ex. knowing that patient’s BP is not controlled

Diki Triangle

Triangle of Information (top), Knowledge, Information, Data (base)

Interface

Transmitting information between entities who don’t speak the same language

User Interface

Interface between human & computer

Software Interface

Interface between 2 computer systems

Client Tier

Tier where user interacts with the system

Application Tier

Tier where software is stored on local machine

Database Tier

Tier where tables are where information is stored

Operational

Label generation, patient billing, batch processing of workload

Clinical

• Access to information about the patient and their care

  • ex. collect data, filter results

Administrative

• Tools to assign resources, identify opportunities for cost savings

  • ex. reporting, inventory management systems, portals

Workflow & Process Improvement

• Automation by robots and machines

  • ex. email responses

Pharmacy Information Systems (PIS)

Complex computer systems that have been designed to meet the needs of a pharmacy department

Information Management

Managing medication-related information while promoting integration, interoperability, and information exchange

Integration

• Ability to exchange data in a seamless fashion

• 2 entities who do not speak the same languages

• Like having a translator

Interoperability

• Ability of 2 or more systems to exchange and predictably use data or information while retaining the original meaning of the data

• 2 entities who speak the same language

Knowledge Delivery

• Delivering medication-related information and knowledge throughout the clinical knowledge life cycle

• Adding mandatory indications with medication orders

Data Analytics

• Applying statistical, reporting, and presentation tools and techniques to healthcare-related data in order to study past situations to improve the quality and efficiency of clinical and business process and performance

• Studying patterns

Clinical Informatics

• Applying user experiences, research, and theoretical informatics principles to improve clinical practice and usability

  • ex. Using literature search

Change Management

• Leading and participating in the procurement, development, implementation, and continuous improvement of clinical information systems

  • ex. Convincing administrators on the informatics tools

Information Security

Reasonable protection from risk of loss

Confidentiality

Data is readable only by the intended recipients

Authentication

Protection against unauthorized access or forgeries

Nonrepudiation

Ensures that someone cannot deny having conducted a transaction

Approaches to Information Security

1. Securing the physical location where servers are stored

2. Backing up data

3. Encryption of patient identifiers