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Biomedical subjects

L Balkányi

Publications and source records attributed to L Balkányi.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Vision of an 'automated' hospital information system.

This paper tries to describe a coherent vision of a possible next generation of HIS that rethinks how and what for computing is used in hospitals. Current systems, organized mainly around the 'database' and the 'communication' paradigm help the data processing to a great extent. At the same time they cannot be accepted as 'automated' systems, as handling of information is done mostly by end-users, i.e. by human actors. Emerging methods enabling automated information handling are the following: integrated handling of different media, seamless communication among different systems, alternative input-output devices, tools for pro-active information handling. These technologies should be grouped to two main branches: technical advances in data handling and theoretical advances in knowledge handling. The advances in knowledge handling are really important: tools based on that can take over routine information handling tasks from human end users. To discuss automation in HIS it is useful to understand the process of information handling in general within the hospital. A suggested multidimensional information space, where information objects are gathered mainly along two axes, the 'patient axis' and the 'management' axis might be of help. Combinations of selected dimensions resulted in a space of an estimated 2,294,082 possible information handling situation types in an earlier publication. Automation of information handling tasks can be derived from this model. The authors suggest to automate certain tasks done usually by active actors of the information handling situation space. Software agents working 'on their own' are known entities in HIS systems. Two components are needed for automation: an organized data base where its content can be 'understood' and interpreted by an algorithm, with other words a knowledge base an algorithm, that covers a certain routine information handling task. Data bases of HIS should be re-thought in a way that enables automated processing to a greater extent. The development of data base technologies clearly point to this direction. If most of the data bases of a HIS will be like that, new generation of applications might be launched to use them. E.g. a software agent called 'patient assistant' could collect data from different sources and build a coherent and updated patient file. The results of a knowledge based, agent operated HIS should be the following: significantly less direct human involvement significantly less paper to be produced enhanced speed of data flow in general enhanced reliability by widespread watchdog functions

Algorithms↗
PubMed1997

Evolution of a regional health-care information system--the design phase.

In 1996 a program of the Soros Foundation was launched to study a regional health care inodel Main stake holders of health care financing and providing in three counties in South-Western Hungary found the idea appealing and the Soros Model Region Program was started. This paper outlines the activity of the second sub-project of the model region program: the development of a regional health care information system. The build-up of a data and knowledge base serving the differing needs of mentioned goals is based on international standards. Availability and user involvement is based on different media for presenting the information as printed publications, CD-ROM data bases and World Wide Web availability. A congruency and coherency principle is maintained by a unified data model used for different purposes and a planned unified communication protocol among all participants in the model region program. Studies regarding health care status, economics and financing on regional level show that a better fitting health care services profile and a more flexible resource management might be achieved based on the mentioned regionality principle.

Computer Systems↗
PubMed1997

Quality of healthcare related software applications--setting up an accreditation system in Hungary.

Meeting expectations of high quality health care, the safe and secure operation of medical information systems is a "must". However for healthcare software nationwide quality control systems are not widely used. A quality control project of health care applications in Hungary has been launched in 1996 by the Hungarian Society of Healthcare Informatics (MEIT) and Medico-Biological Section of Johann Neumann Society of Computing (NJSZT) by establishing a joint Healthcare Informatics Applications Accreditation Board (Board ESAB). The Board developed an evaluation methodology and a legal procedure to test health care software application modules. The evaluation method is based on international standards as ISO-9126 and on emerging European standards of CEN/TC 251. First rounds of accreditation already proved that there is a need among providers and users for the accreditation process. The authors hope that establishing an accreditation system will lead to a more balanced health care software market where users have an opportunity to inform themselves by the opinion of independent experts on the product they intend to purchase.

Accreditation↗
PubMed1997

On different roles of natural language information in medicine.

In this paper the authors analyze the main different function types of language in medical environment in different communicative situations and descriptive tasks. These functions are categorized as knowledge transfer, documentation, directive function, expression of emotions. The computer representation of the information have to be different according to the different tasks. The paper highlights the most important differences and concludes that further research is necessary in the details.

Communication↗
PubMed1995

Third generation electronic medical record knowledge based perspectives.

There is a need to develop better electronic medical records. One possible solution is to put more and more 'routine' medical knowledge into systems handling medical records. In this paper, we analyze the current state-of-the-art of knowledge-based medical record handling; we mainly consider the work of Rector et al. [1]. We offer a more detailed 'four level' knowledge level model compared to the 'two level' model of Rector. The EMR of the future might be approached with a top-down method, using the above mentioned 'four level' model.

Artificial Intelligence↗
PubMed1992

Information flow in the hospital: a comparative study of the Hungarian and the Dutch situation using a two axes model of hospital information flow.

This study compares the organization and structure of information flow in a Dutch and in a Hungarian hospital. The study was carried out as a field orientation part of a Health Care Management project of the Hogeschool van Amsterdam. The host of the field orientation was the BAZIS Foundation, the Central Development and Support Group Hospital Information System, Leiden. The visited hospitals were equipped with the BAZIS Hospital Information System. The method of study consisted of series of formalized interviews with all-level actors of a hospital; the interpretation of data was enhanced by a two axes (patient and management) model of information flow defined by the authors. In summary, Dutch hospitals show a more elaborate information flow system, with more information flow channels sideways among equal levels, less bureaucracy in organization of information flow, and significantly more benefits of automation, compared to the Hungarian situation.

Computer Systems↗
PubMed1981

Overlapping effect of thyroid-stimulating hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone on the thyroid gland in baby chicken.

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) although quantitatively less effective than thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in the thyroid gland, overlapped with the actions of the latter regarding the indices tested. Thus, it increased the follicular diameter and height of epithelial cells. These findings appear to support our earlier observation demonstrating an overlapping effect of tropic hormones in the gonads and suggest that the overlapping action of tropic hormones with related structure is a general phenomenon in the perinatal period.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Towards a quantitative approach of medical information. Part 1. Measures of a multidimensional medical information space.

Despite the importance of quantitative analysis of medical information, it is a rare subject in informatics literature. To stimulate more interest the authors propose a multidimensional medical information space, in which measures can be defined to compare different medical information objects or knowledge areas. To describe the measures, classical information theory, the general database theory of Sundgren and the Blois model of medical thinking are used. A space model of (at least) three dimensions is offered, where information objects might have a normalized length, a total depth (measuring embedded knowledge levels) and a complexity width.

Computer-Assisted Instruction↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Towards a quantitative approach of medical information. Part 2. Comparative measurement of medical information objects.

One of the key problems in medical knowledge representation is that we usually have no idea about the largeness of the knowledge to be represented. Underestimation of this largeness may occur frequently. Considering this situation, the authors have applied a method of measuring or estimating the largeness of a certain medical knowledge area modelled in a theoretical information space. The method is tested on two sets of terms, the OMED terminology of digestive endoscopy and on the second and third version of the SNOMED nomenclature. The assessment of largeness of a knowledge area does not seem possible by a single measure. The 'volume', 'density' and 'complexity' must be addressed separately. In the present study different medical knowledge-representation systems are compared according to their volume. Possible ways to estimate their complexity and density are mentioned.

Decision Making, Computer-Assisted↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Theoretical considerations on medical concept representation.

Concepts are seen as building elements of more compositional information objects in medicine. Consequently, representation of medical concepts plays a critical role in any information system. The authors present some of the key problems which need solution, such as definition of medical domain, analysis of internal structure, different subsets of medical concepts, and the problem of the 'elementary' concepts. As a result of these considerations we can conclude that the domain of medical concepts can hardly be delimited and consists of different subsets. These subsets need different representation methods according to their different nature. Some of these subsets have a hierarchic structure. In those one can find sometimes multiple hierarchies. We suggest avoiding multiple hierarchies in concept systems by the introduction of new dimensions.

Decision Support Techniques↗