Information architecture for pervasive healthcare information provision with technological implementation

The Pervasive Healthcare Information Provision (PHIP) is a concept that ensures patients are covered with healthcare services with the appropriate information provision together with the technical infrastructure when needed. Clinicians can obtain the real-time information by accessing the electronic patient record that supports decision-making in providing health services. PHIP aims to provide comprehensive healthcare services to its stakeholders covering the social and technical aspect. Information architecture is a high-level map of information requirements of an organisation that possesses business processes and information flows. Organisational semiotics, a fundamental theory for information and communication, helps in understanding the nature of information. It deals with information and information systems in a balanced way, taking account of both the physical space (when physical actions take place) and the information space (which are mainly characterised by information and communication using signs, symbols, and data). Information sharing among multi-stakeholders in decision-making is essential for pervasive healthcare. The information architecture can be reflected in information systems implementation such as Electronic Patient Record (EPR) and other forms. The aim of this chapter is to derive a conceptual model of information architecture for PHIP, including technological implementation via wireless technology. The information architecture serves as requirement engine that covers social and technical needs from both patients and clinicians. The contribution of this research is two fold: 1) establishing the theoretical perspective of information architecture, which serves as backbone to support PHIP, and 2) implementing PHIP via wireless technology and agent-based system. Chekfoung Tan University of Reading, UK Shixiong Liu University of Reading, UK