Viewpoint: Integrating Medical Informatics and Health Services Research: The Need for Dual Training at the Clinical Health Systems and Policy Levels

Reams of data pertaining directly to the core health services research mission are accumulating in large-scale organizational and clinical information systems. Health services researchers who grasp the structure of information systems and databases and the function of software applications can use existing data more effectively, assist in establishing new databases, and develop new tools to survey populations and collect data. At the same time, informaticians are needed who can structure databases that serve the needs of health service research and who can design and evaluate applications that effectively improve health care delivery. As long as health services researchers and informaticians work in separate spheres, however, opportunities to use data from health care encounters to improve care, expand knowledge, and develop more effective policies will be missed. This paper provides a brief exploration of 1) existing successful collaborations between health services researchers and informaticians and 2) needs and opportunities for additional joint work in several core research areas.

[1]  Daniel Z. Sands,et al.  Guidelines for the Clinical Use of Electronic Mail with Patients , 1998 .

[2]  D. Gustafson,et al.  An Evidence-Based Approach to Interactive Health Communication: A Challenge to Medicine in the Information Age , 1998 .

[3]  C. Safran,et al.  Baby CareLink: using the internet and telemedicine to improve care for high-risk infants. , 2000, Pediatrics.

[4]  M. Winker,et al.  Guidelines for medical and health information sites on the internet: principles governing AMA web sites. American Medical Association. , 2000, JAMA.

[5]  T. Clemmer,et al.  A computer-assisted management program for antibiotics and other antiinfective agents. , 1998, The New England journal of medicine.

[6]  Edward H. Shortliffe,et al.  Analysis of a Case: Training Synergies Between Medical Informatics and Health Services Research: Successes and Challenges , 2002, J. Am. Medical Informatics Assoc..

[7]  D. Gustafson,et al.  Impact of a patient-centered, computer-based health information/support system. , 1999, American journal of preventive medicine.

[8]  Alastair Baker,et al.  Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century , 2001, BMJ : British Medical Journal.

[9]  Joyce A. Mitchell,et al.  Electronic Communication With Patients: Evaluation of Distance Medicine Technology , 1997 .

[10]  C. McDonald,et al.  A computerized reminder system to increase the use of preventive care for hospitalized patients. , 2001, The New England journal of medicine.

[11]  William W. Stead.  Matching the Level of Evaluation to a project's Stage of Development , 1996, J. Am. Medical Informatics Assoc..

[12]  D. Bates,et al.  Effect of computerized physician order entry and a team intervention on prevention of serious medication errors. , 1998, JAMA.

[13]  Milton Corn,et al.  White Paper: Bridging the Gap in Medical Informatics and Health Services Research: Workshop Results and Next Steps , 2002, J. Am. Medical Informatics Assoc..

[14]  Perry L. Miller,et al.  Informatics issues in the national dissemination of a computer-based clinical guideline: a case study in childhood immunization , 2000, AMIA.

[15]  R. Kravitz,et al.  Health information on the Internet: accessibility, quality, and readability in English and Spanish. , 2001, JAMA.

[16]  E. Shortliffe,et al.  Medical informatics. An emerging academic discipline and institutional priority. , 1990, JAMA.

[17]  D A Henderson,et al.  The looming threat of bioterrorism. , 1999, Science.

[18]  Clement J. McDonald,et al.  Viewpoint: The Barriers to Electronic Medical Record Systems and How to Overcome Them , 1997, J. Am. Medical Informatics Assoc..

[19]  I. Kohane,et al.  Public standards and patients' control: how to keep electronic medical records accessible but private. , 2001, BMJ : British Medical Journal.

[20]  Reed M. Gardner,et al.  White Paper: Designing Medical Informatics Research and Library-Resource Projects to Increase What Is Learned , 1994, J. Am. Medical Informatics Assoc..

[21]  E. Cook,et al.  Effect of case managers with a general medical patient population. , 2000, Journal of evaluation in clinical practice.

[22]  P. Ravaud,et al.  A clinical decision support system for prevention of venous thromboembolism: effect on physician behavior. , 2000, JAMA.

[23]  E. Cook,et al.  Critical pathways intervention to reduce length of hospital stay. , 2001, The American journal of medicine.