Health Informatics:A Global Perspective

Tara Douglas-Williams, MSLSAtlanta Medical Center

Georgia Health Sciences Library Association

March 7, 2008

Topics to Discuss

• Introduction to Health Informatics

• Global/Public Health

• Medical Informatics & Health

Science Librarianship

• Challenges & Opportunities

Informatics

Informatics includes the science of information, the

practice of information processing, and the engineering of

information systems. - Wikipedia

Nursing

Public

Bio

Pharmacy

Dental

Clinical

Health

Consumer

Health Informatics (Medical Informatics)

The intersection of information science,

computer science and health care.

HEALTH

ComputerScience Information

Science

Math

Medical Informatics

• Has been defined as the art and science

of organizing knowledge of human health

and disease and making it accessible and

useful for problem solving

• The internet is truly the defining

information structure of the global village.Bull Med Libr Assoc 84(1);1996:11-16

The Informatics of health care reform

Health Informatics

Tools include:

• clinical guidelines

• medical terminologies

• information systems

• communication systems

Global Organizations

• World Health Organization (WHO)

www.who.int/en

• US Healthy People 2010

www.health.gov/healthypeople

• CDC Global Health website www.cdc.gov/ogh

CDC website

Public Health

• Health promotion and disease prevention is an aspect of public health practice that can be dramatically transformed by informatics

• Career opportunities, innovative collaborations, consumer health application development, networking opportunities with national and global organizations

Rita Kukafka – Health Promotion Practice

Public Health Informatics

• Public Health is concerned with improving the health of entire populations

• Informing, educating, and empowering people about health issues

• Research for new insights and innovative solutions to health problems

• Diagnosing and investigating health problems and hazards in the community

Building better connections: the National Library of Medicine and public health

Betsy L. Humphreys, MLS, AHIP J Med Libr Assoc 95(3) July 2007 pgs 293-300

Medical Informatics & Health Science Librarianship

• delivery of relevant information to

clients in clinics, laboratories and

other health related work

environments

• creating knowledge-based products

and resources

Medical Informatics & Health Sciences Librarianship

Informaticians and Librarians are

both analyzing how to best integrate

filtered knowledge into decision

support systems for clinicians and

researchers

New Definition of Health Sciences Informatics

Health sciences informatics

addresses how health-related

information is structured, acquired,

and utilized.

Preparing for New Challenges• Changes in health care delivery and

information technology

• Biomedical informatics applications

have the potential to bridge the gap

between the pool of scientific

knowledge and individuals’ health

care-related information needs

Preparing for New Challenges• Librarians are uniquely equipped to

understand and provide linkages

between information resources and

those who seek assistance

• There is an increasing convergence

between informatics and

librarianship

Preparing for New Challenges

The goal is to engage students and

practitioners in the process of

becoming self-directed learners

Preparing for New Challenges• Delivering health care globally

• Addressing societal problems

• Health Literacy

• Digital Divide

Opportunities

• Point-of-Care (EBM) & Ethnically relevant

resources

• Research (Clinical Trials)

• Health Information Programs

• Information Rx

• Patient Education Materials

• Web 2.0 Technologies

Opportunities

• Patient care systems

• Telemedicine

• Image Management Systems

• Computer aided surgery

• EMRs

Conclusion

• Building Trust

• Effective Partnerships

• Take Personal Responsibility

• Global Perspective of Health

Information and the dissemination

© Dept. of Global Health – University of South Florida