Using Healthcare Information Systems to Facilitate Smart and Sustainable Knowledge Flow in Healthcare: the Case of Allergy Care in Australia

Allergy including asthma incidents are steadily increasing, and thus becoming a major health concern in developed countries. In Australia, the model used to manage patients suffering from allergy has two main problems; it is fragmented in nature, and difficult to access specialist care. In addition, there is a lack of awareness from the public about allergy management. To address these factors an ICT solution that facilitates knowledge flow between both allergy care providers and patients is proffered. The system is a web portal coupled with a mobile App, which together utilize a shared database of medical records for allergy patients. The system is used to examine the role of ICT to facilitate superior knowledge flow and transfer. This system uses the principles of Knowledge Management, and is guided by a Design Science Research Methodology. The implications of this study are far reaching to communities, healthcare systems, and national economies.

[1]  Cinzia Battistella,et al.  Inter-organisational technology/knowledge transfer: a framework from critical literature review , 2015, The Journal of Technology Transfer.

[2]  H. Davies,et al.  Mobilizing Knowledge in Health Care , 2016 .

[3]  A. Frew,et al.  What proportion of adult allergy referrals to secondary care could be dealt with in primary care by a GP with special interest? , 2016, Clinical and Translational Allergy.

[4]  ASCIA 2014 Abstract Index , 2014 .

[5]  R. Noe,et al.  Motivating Knowledge Sharing in Knowledge Management Systems , 2014 .

[6]  Mark E Frisse,et al.  Health information exchange reduces repeated diagnostic imaging for back pain. , 2013, Annals of emergency medicine.

[7]  Alan R. Hevner,et al.  POSITIONING AND PRESENTING DESIGN SCIENCE RESEARCH FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT 1 , 2013 .

[8]  W. Busse,et al.  Severe asthma: an expanding and mounting clinical challenge. , 2013, The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice.

[9]  D. Hagaman,et al.  Practical aspects of integrating allergy and pulmonology management into a rhinology practice: the Vanderbilt ASAP experience , 2013, Current opinion in otolaryngology & head and neck surgery.

[10]  Tari Haahtela,et al.  The biodiversity hypothesis and allergic disease: world allergy organization position statement , 2013, The World Allergy Organization journal.

[11]  Gillian D Sanders,et al.  Enabling health care decisionmaking through clinical decision support and knowledge management. , 2012, Evidence report/technology assessment.

[12]  Kim M. Unertl,et al.  The financial impact of health information exchange on emergency department care , 2011, J. Am. Medical Informatics Assoc..

[13]  David C. Yen,et al.  Exploring barriers to knowledge flow at different knowledge management maturity stages , 2012, Inf. Manag..

[14]  Anne-Louise Ponsonby,et al.  Prevalence of challenge-proven IgE-mediated food allergy using population-based sampling and predetermined challenge criteria in infants. , 2011, The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology.

[15]  Nilmini Wickramasinghe,et al.  Realizing Value Driven e-Health Solutions. , 2010 .

[16]  J. Lucas,et al.  Summary health statistics for U.S. adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2008. , 2009, Vital and health statistics. Series 10, Data from the National Health Survey.

[17]  A. Sampson.  FLAP inhibitors for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. , 2009, Current opinion in investigational drugs.

[18]  Brian Lehaney,et al.  Healthcare Knowledge Management Primer , 2009 .

[19]  Nilmini Wickramasinghe,et al.  Principles of Knowledge Management: Theory, Practice, and Cases , 2009 .

[20]  N Wickramasinghe,et al.  The role and use of wireless technology in the management and monitoring of chronic diseases , 2009 .

[21]  S. Straus,et al.  Knowledge translation in health care : moving from evidence to practice , 2009 .

[22]  Samir Chatterjee,et al.  A Design Science Research Methodology for Information Systems Research , 2008 .

[23]  Access Economics,et al.  The economic impact of allergic disease in Australia: not to be sneezed at , 2007 .

[24]  S. Bosnic-Anticevich,et al.  Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of a Pharmacy Asthma Care Program in Australia , 2007 .

[25]  Alan R. Hevner,et al.  The Three Cycle View of Design Science , 2007, Scand. J. Inf. Syst..

[26]  Martin Bichler,et al.  Design science in information systems research , 2006, Wirtschaftsinf..

[27]  Erkka Valovirta,et al.  Allergy Practice Worldwide: A Report by the World Allergy Organization Specialty and Training Council , 2006, International Archives of Allergy and Immunology.

[28]  Eric C. Pan,et al.  The value of health care information exchange and interoperability. , 2005, Health affairs.

[29]  E. Balas,et al.  Computerized Knowledge Management in Diabetes Care , 2004, Medical care.

[30]  C. Holsapple.  Handbook on Knowledge Management 1 , 2004, International Handbooks on Information Systems.

[31]  Hugh A Sampson,et al.  Improving in-vitro tests for the diagnosis of food hypersensitivity , 2002, Current opinion in allergy and clinical immunology.

[32]  A. Agrawal.  University-to-industry knowledge transfer: literature review and unanswered questions , 2001 .

[33]  Jae-Nam Lee,et al.  The impact of knowledge sharing, organizational capability and partnership quality on IS outsourcing success , 2001, Inf. Manag..

[34]  H. Saint‐Onge,et al.  Tacit Knowledge: The Key to the Strategic Alignment of Intellectual Capital , 1996 .

[35]  Izak Benbasat,et al.  The Case Research Strategy in Studies of Information Systems , 1987, MIS Q..

[36]  J. P. Mcgovern,et al.  Allergy statistics. , 1966, Annals of allergy.