Biomedical subjects

A van der Werff

Publications and source records attributed to A van der Werff.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1997

Organising health systems for better care and performance by open information technology.

In this document the application of open information technology to assist in reforming healthcare systems of countries is being discussed. Present technologies demonstrated by HANSA in Western and Eastern Europe enable the integration of electronic patient records in existing systems, provide for flexibility and support the interoperability of different applications. However, computers and IT must not drive the required process of change. This is the responsibility of top management.

Computer Communication Networks↗

PubMed1997

RHINE-AM. An inter-regional health information network for Europe.

RHINE is an inter-regional network in Europe having as an aim, the promotion of know-how transfer in the area of Information Technology methods and tools in the regions involved. The RHINE network's significance will be demonstrated in the health sector. Within the main scope of the project, the aims and objectives of RHINE and the participating partners encompass the extension of the nucleus network and the furtherance of Information Technology research. Application areas include distributed data base and knowledge base technologies for open regional information systems supported by other technologies for business processes.

Computer Communication Networks↗

PubMed1996

The NUCLEUS integrated electronic patient dossier breakthrough and concepts of an open solution.

This paper addresses the requirements of healthcare providers and hospital managers vis-à-vis electronic patient records that can be integrated. It starts from some critical failure factors, found with previous attempts to standardise the electronic health record. Standardisation appears to be the key issue: the subject of standardisation requires delicate positioning. Technology must provide us with the means to obtain the standardised foundation for an integrated health record concept, which can be completely configured and customised to meet the requirements of health professionals and institutions involved. NUCLEUS, project A2025 in the AIM programme, has taken on this endeavour, and with good success. This paper summarises the benefits of this approach for various categories of people interested in using electronic patient records. Moreover, it illustrates NUCLEUS' contribution to achieving seamless integration of care. Furthermore, this paper explains the conceptual innovations that have been achieved in the NUCLEUS project. It consolidates the main concept of Act Management, structuring the professional primary process as well as the interprofessional communication. These concepts are subsequently expanded to include the key elements of the NUCLEUS integrated electronic patient record. Next, the paper reflects on what has appeared to be one of the critical success factors of the electronic patient record: its configuration and customisation facilities. These facilities make it possible to access the patient record at various intuitive aggregation levels and to make the integrated patient record 'look like' the individually specialised record of the respective healthcare professionals. Finally, the paper addresses various topics required to facilitate the successful implementation and operation of the NUCLEUS integrated electronic patient record like security, integrity, message communication, distribution, heterogeneity and the context of the hospital information system.

Communication↗

PubMed1994

Structuring the patient record: NUCLEUS (customisation environment for multi-media integrated patient records).

The NUCLEUS project (AIM A2025) develops a prototype of a multi-media integrated patient record, based on the concepts of intelligent act management as conceived in RICHE (Esprit 2221). Moreover, NUCLEUS creates facilities for the customisation of such patient record according to the requirements of the health professionals (physicians, nurses, therapists, etc.) who operate and consult the patient record. Health professionals retain full control of the patient record contents:--NUCLEUS offers facilities to structure any significant patient record, subject to the specifications of the health professionals involved. Finally, NUCLEUS implements its results in the practical clinical conditions of the three leading European hospitals.

Europe↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Planning and management for health in periods of economic stringency and instability: a contingency approach.

The mid-1970s marked the end of the longest period of uninterrupted economic growth in history, and initiated in Europe--and other parts of the world--a period of economic stagnation and instability. Along with the prosperity explosion of the past, the pattern of health problems has changed and is still changing. Moreover, the demand for health care has kept on rising, without much improvement of health status in general. Thus, there is a critical need to rethink policies, and to ensure that future changes occur within the limits of shrinking resources and the allotted time-span. In particular, the change in priorities envisaged by the Health for All 2000 (HFA 2000) strategies will need to take place against the background of an ageing population, social instability, and continuing development of new lifestyles and persistent economic scarcity. It is by analysing that background that this article seeks to make recommendations as to how health planning and management might successfully cope with the policy reorientation of the HFA 2000 strategy. The structure of this article is as follows. Firstly, the changes taking place in planning conditions will be reviewed, and form the basis of a framework for subsequent analysis of the planning environment. Following this framework, some of the conflicts likely to be faced in planning and management will be discussed, many of which are the consequence of economic stringency and instability. Also the requirements for an improvement of the effectiveness and efficiency of planning will be identified. Finally, a limited number of approaches to planning will be considered, for their appropriateness to the present-day economic circumstances. The point of view elucidated throughout is that there is no single solution which is 'best' under all circumstances. The conclusion, rather, is that the selection of particular theory or method of planning and management should depend both on the objectives of the decision maker and on the determinants of the planning environment. General prescriptions should not be made. At the same time, some elements have to be stressed in all types of planning, namely: the orientation towards outcomes or outputs of problems; the attention to long-term strategic thinking; and, the application of more efficient, flexible and less bureaucratic approaches.

Decision Making, Organizational↗