The Use of Olap Reporting Technology to Improve Patient Care Services Decision Making Within the University Health Center

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that it is feasible for the student health center to leverage existing clinical data in a data warehouse by using OLAP reporting in order to improve patient care and health care services decision making. Historically, University health care centers have relied mainly on operational data sources for critical health care decision making. These sources of data do not contain enough information to allow health officials to recognize trends or predict how future changes in health care services might vastly improve overall heath care. Four proof of concept artifacts are constructed through design science research methodology, and a feasibility study is presented to build the case for the adoption of OLAP reporting technology. The study concludes that it is feasible to implement an OLAP reporting infrastructure at the student health center if physicians, clinical staff, and administration clearly define the need for the new technology, develop proper data extraction, loading, and transformation strategy, and adequately provide project management and data warehouse design towards the implementation of the solution

Emerging needs in behavioral health and the integrated care model

Medically vulnerable populations are constantly at risk of having poor health related outcomes, low satisfaction in the healthcare system and increased mortality. Studies have shown the increased prevalence rates of various medical comorbidities in patients with severe mental illness. These patients are obviously vulnerable because of their mental illness but they are also more likely to have severe cases of medical conditions commonly seen in the general population. Expenditures and utilization of resources is often inappropriate due to frequent visits for acute needs and low rates of preventative care and primary care appointments. My proposed model focuses on the implementation of the integrated care model which encourages collaboration between mental health professionals and primary care physicians through referral programs or integrated clinic settings. This model is initiated with education to both current clinicians as well as future clinicians through medical schools and residency programs. Once the education component has begun, the next steps are formal exploration, preparation, implementation and evaluation of the model in clinics. The aim is to improve health outcomes by increasing preventative care and using behavioral techniques to assist with adherence, increase satisfaction in the healthcare system and contain expenditures by utilizing primary care services instead of emergency services when appropriate

Health ManagementInformation Systems for Resource Allocation and Purchasing in Developing Countries

World Bank, Health Nutrition and Population, Discussion Paper: The paper begins with the premise that it is not possible to implement an efficient, modern RAP strategy today without the effective use of information technology. The paper then leads the architect through the functionality of the systems components and environment needed to support RAP, pausing to justify them at each step. The paper can be used as a long-term guide through the systems development process as it is not necessary (and likely not possible) to implement all functions at once. The paper’s intended audience is those members of a planning and strategy body, working in conjunction with technical experts, who are charged with designing and implementing a RAP strategy in a developing country

Where you go and whom you ask? A study of source selection and usage in Chinese international students' health information behavior

Past literature has established that international students underutilized university health and counseling services despite of the perceived health needs and special health problems arise from the acculturation process. The gap between perceived needs and subsequent health information seeking actions has been found to be especially significant in the Chinese international student subgroup. This study looks into Chinese international students' source selection decisions and influencing factors in the process of health information seeking, and employs qualitative template analysis method built upon the theoretical framework of Comprehensive Model of Information Seeking (CMIS). Analysis reveals a set of user and source related factors and evaluative criteria used in decision-making including source quality, availability, understandability, cultural sensitivity and relevancy and utility. The least-effort principle is supported, while language and cultural dimensions are also found to mediate the cost-benefit analysis by affecting relevancy judgment, which altogether result in the prioritization of self-care methods and the underutilization of professional healthcare sources.Advertisin

How Registries Can Help Performance Measurement Improve Care

Suggests ways to better utilize databases of clinical information to evaluate care processes and outcomes and improve measurements of healthcare quality and costs, comparative clinical effectiveness research, and medical product safety surveillance