Informatics in the Clinic Area Healthcare is information-intensive, but most of the healthcare facilities especially in Africa are still making the transition from paper to digital media. Meaningful use of clinical informatics put together with best practicing and based on evidence delivery of care will see health care improved. Clinical informatics basically is the study of information systems used in the clinical practice of medicine (Yunkan, 1996). Being skilled in the management of information is fundamental to good medical practice. This paper seeks to investigate some of the issues related to electronic communication and healthcare in Nairobi, Kenya.
Clinical informatics has the potential of benefiting both the medical staff and their patients as they are implemented into the current health care systems in Kenya. The benefits might not be direct, but they are essential in terms of increased data-keeping clarity and general increased patient safety. Informatics encourages the implementation of evidence-based healthcare. Clinical informatics should encompass data entry and storage (database), decision making, and safer practices for patients (Hebda L, 2005).
Data entry and management
The use of informatics has streamlined communication and data management in healthcare systems here in Nairobi. Many benefits have been manifested by the electronic medical record (EMR), which represents the client’s data in record in a traditional paper presented electronically. In data entry, for example, hospital staff can use a device, for instance, a thermometer to measure the patient’s temperature, which can then be automatically transmitted to the patient’s electronic health record (Yunkan, 1996). However, the challenge is that most medical practitioners in Nairobi do not understand the principles of the logical basis of most diagnosis processes, management of errors, and data interpretation. Therefore, they have to be trained on the use of these devices. The importance of these records includes:
Data accessing
The health center staff can retrieve data and information any time they need it. A local area network (LAN) installed in a health facility can be used to access information anywhere in the facility (Yunkan, 1996). Nowadays, data can be transmitted securely over the internet and medical personnel can review and edit records from anywhere all over the world (Hebda, 2005).
Data safety
Data can nowadays be stored safely without fear of loss. Most tools used in clinical informatics are well designed, have redundant systems as well as data recovery systems. Data is stored in a secure server with backup provided e.g. compact disk ROMs. In case of data loss due to malicious damage or viruses, information can be retrieved by specialized software. In summary, computer-based record systems are reliable, and data loss is minimal (Hebda, 2005).
Data privacy and confidentiality
Data viewing editing and retrieval is restricted by the use of passwords and can be monitored automatically (Hebda C, 2005). Depending on the level of the medical staff members, permission and authority to access certain data types can be granted. This means, for example, that records which are supposed to be viewed and edited by a doctor can not be available to the nurses.
Simple and flexible user interface
Data entry can be displayed on a separate screen from that of the data entry section. Functions such as data recall can be executed in any order, for example, in chronological order, and even create conditions for specific data review. For paper records, on the contrary, suffer from constraints i.e. data is fixed in the sequence it was entered (Yunkan, 1996).
Data comparison
From the databases in the clinic, information concerning the patient’s health can be cross-checked with relevant information kept in the clinic’s database. The cross-checking of data can be done among several clinics provided that they have the secret code to the database. This allows medical practitioners all over the world to share ideas and even work from anywhere (Hebda, 2005).
Up to date information
Information can be updated automatically in real-time using specialized tools. Data can be input at any time and be accessible to other people immediately. Integrated electronic records can be available to all medical practitioners regardless of their location (Yunkan, 1996). With the use of information database the clinicians are saved from keeping large and bulk records about the patient’s health. The data recorded in the database is stored with certain titles for quick retrieval; the data can even be accessed after 100 years.
Data capture and storage
The use of information technology in clinical services like any other industry enables data to be collected from various sources and organized. The information from various patients in different areas is stored in one database. The machines do not provide errors in their data thus the availability of human error in the clinical data under the databases is likely to be absolute zero. The time wasted in the traditional method to store and retrieve data is saved, thus the cost-cutting occurs in the health service (Thede, 2003).
Working with the Data
The databases in the clinic contain information from different fields, data can be retrieved from different sources as the systems have inbuilt programs to analyze data under them thus it’s easy for staff in the clinic to determine an error in the data. Data is continually processed; therefore, accidents can be significantly reduced (Thede, 2003).
Guided search
The computers have a clear list of information that has ever been stored in their databases thus it’s easy to determine and locate data stored in a computer. Time consumption is reduced as compared to the manual search provided by traditional paperwork (Thede. 2003). In the health industry computerized data search should be undertaken professionally due to the professional wording in the industry which same meaning.
Legible records
Graphs and charts used in the health sector are challenging to interpret. Thus data displayed is more convenient to interpret. A program designed to develop charts are efficient and consume less time (Yunkan, 1996).
Data presentation models
Presentation of data can be done through several user interfaces, for instance through voice mail and emails. Computer-generated control systems can be used to control several activities in the health services such as blood pressure control to the patients. The control can be done through the use of Sensors (Thede, 2003).
Decision support
The use of informatics provides decision support tools. Clinical informatics encompasses software programs of the computer which undertake organizing of information that aid in deciding on client care or issues of administration; which comprise of a varied information system. Clinical informatics tools here are able to support decision-making. Such tools are gradually being implemented. Most facilities, however, cannot afford them (Hebda, 2005). In Kenya, advanced facilities are found in the capital city (Nairobi) and are in most cases owned by private health facilities. Facilities in information systems and management have to be set up, while at the same time training medical personnel-who are in most cases less informed in information systems on their use (Yunkan, 1996).
Safe Patient Care
The use of informatics contributes to patient safety either directly or indirectly. The current growth in science and technology and specifically in health care has provided an option for high quality and specialized patient care in hospitals, in a couple of health services the nurses are widely involved with the use of technology. The patients’ assessment and secure medication are examples of areas in which the health care service makes use of technology (Hebda, 2005). For the proper medication to be administered to the patients all necessary information in regards to the patient should be easily accessible. Informatics can be used in health and Medicare services to enable the provision of quality and secure patient care.
As a result of the increased significance of computers as well as information technology in professional nursing practice; a different role has come up in the name of nursing informatics specialists (NIS). This involves a nurse with formal education, relevant certificates, and practical experience in using a computer during patient care. These specialists are being educated and employed in Kenya, though at a slow rate. Below are several functions of the NIS:
- Technology research. NIS does make a contribution to the clinical informatics base of scientific knowledge.
- Analysis of information. Identifying information that nurses need to undertake their work; client care, research, education and administration.
- Selection of computer/ information systems. The NIS, guides the medical practitioners in making informed decisions related to the purchase of computer systems.
- Designing customizations and systems of computer. NIS incolaboration with programmers of computer and users of computer makes a decision on how to access and display data.
- Having tests of systems of computer.
Systems should undergo checking to ensure they are properly functioning before they are availed for patient care use.
- Undertaking the training of users of systems of computer. Users require training on the working of systems, significance of data entry accuracy, and the benefit of the system, and more significantly the improvement that it will cause on them.
- Evaluating systems of computer. Being unique in role NIS becomes the best person to do evaluation of the effectiveness of systems of computer.
- Undertaking enhancements and maintenance. The NIS makes sure the computerized system operates well and explores any way that can possibly enhance the system to serve patients and users better.
- Identifying new computer technology which can be of benefit to nursing. NIS should watch and move with the transformations in information technology and computers arena, together with new software as well as new hardware which is of benefit to patient and nurse.
In Kenya, clinical informatics can provide an incredible way towards undertaking an efficient medical research and the general health care services (Yunkan, 1996). With the efficiencies of computers in terms of storing and retrieving data and patient cases both for administrative and research uses, informatics will help pave the way for the improvement of quality nursing care, healthcare service and the improvement in the medical practitioner’s skills and knowledge in the field of healthcare and research (Thede, 2003).
Reference List
Czar H, (2005). Handbook of informatics for nurses and health care professionals. University of Michigan: Pearson Prentice Hall, USA
Reisman Y, (1996). Computer-based clinical decision aids. A review of methods and assessment of systems. Med Inf:London
Thede L, (2003). Informatics and nursing: Opportunities and challenges. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, USA