Information system development life cycle models Essay

Health information managers must understand the components of information systems and how information systems affect the organization, individuals within the organization, and interested publics outside the organization. Information systems provide opportunities to improve internal operations, create competitive advantage in the marketplace, improve patient-care delivery, enhance research, and provide better service. Information system risk occurs when the systems are not well integrated, are poorly managed, or do not support the goals of the organization. In order to exploit information system opportunities and minimize threats and risks, a thorough understanding of information system components and how these relate to the organization is necessary. An information system is composed of a group of components (people, work processes, data, and information technologies) that interact through defined relationships to accomplish a goal. Information systems must be able to adapt to environmental change. A good example of a health-related information system is an order entry system. The goal of the system is to process physician orders. The system is composed of a group of components including people (nurses, physicians, unit secretaries, laboratory personnel), data, work processes, and information technologies. Each of these components interacts through defined relationships. fails to accommodate the environment or if the interactions among its component parts fail, the system becomes nonfunctional and disintegrates. Thus, a system must be composed of a group of components that: ï‚ · Interact through defined relationships ï‚ · Work toward accomplishing a goal ï‚ · Self-adapt and respond to environmental changes Figure 2-1 provides an example of the relationship of these characteristics. An information system is composed of a group of components (people, work processes, data, and information technologies) that interact through defined relationships to accomplish a goal. Information systems must be able to adapt to environmental change. A good example of a health-related information system is an order entry system. The goal of the system is to  process physician orders. The system is composed of a group of components including people (nurses, physicians, unit secretaries, laboratory personnel), data, work processes, and information technologies. Each of these components interacts through defined relationships The peoples enter orders in a predefined way through a data entry terminal (hardware) and through interaction with software. Through the predefined interactions between the hardware and software, the order is processed. The order entry system is self-adapting and able to accommodate environmental changes such as order volume. The example depicted in Figure 2-2 demonstrates the characteristics of a system as applied to an information system: component parts working in predefined relationships that can self-adapt to environmental changes to accomplish a common goal. As the bidirectional arrows depict in Figure 2-2, at any given time there is a potential three-way interaction between all system components. People interact or are affected by work practices, data, and information technologies. Work practices affect people and may be impacted by data availability and information technologies. Information technologies may affect work practices, people, and the input, processing, or dissemination of data. Thus, we see that information components are highly interrelated. Recognizing these interrelationships is very important, since a problem with one component will likely adversely impact all other components within an information system. When information system problems arise, it is crucial that all information system components and their relationships be examined System Elements Systems have three principal elements: inputs, processing mechanisms, and outputs. Figure 2-3 depicts their simple relationship. In the order entry example given previously, inputs include physician orders such as laboratory, radiology, or pharmacy orders that are entered in a computer terminal on the patient-care unit. The orders are subjected to several processing mechanisms that check their consistency and completeness before they are routed to the appropriate department. The output of the system is a requisition for a specific type of test, procedure, or pharmaceutical. In addition to inputs, processes, and outputs, most systems also have a  feedback loop. Feedback provided by the system influences future inputs. In the order entry example, feedback regarding nonavailability of an ordered drug in the pharmacy department inventory might be provided to the physician. In this case, the system might suggest what alternatives or substitutes are available Information System Components All definitions of an information system must embody the essence of the four system characteristics that were previously presented. Thus, an information system is a group of interrelated and self-adapting components working through defined relationships to collect, process, and disseminate data and information for accomplishment of specific organizational goals. The components of an information system should be broadly interpreted. For example, information system components should be viewed to include people, work procedures, data, and information technologies (Alter, 1992). Although organizational goals may not be specifically included in the components of an information system, they must be viewed as the driving force for the development, design, implementation, and evaluation of information systems. Each information system must be evaluated in terms of its contribution to meeting the goals of the organization Information System Types In Chapter 2, six types of information systems are discussed: transaction processing systems (TPS), management information systems (MIS), decision support systems (DSS), executive information systems (EIS), expert systems (ES), and office automation systems (OAS). Early systems in health care were principally transaction processing systems. These systems automated operational functions such as accounting, payroll, inventory, and admission/discharge systems. Later, other transaction systems, such as order entry, were added to the capabilities. Management information systems emerged in the late 1970s and gradually became more sophisticated during the 1980s. One factor influencing the growth of MIS during this period was the introduction of the national prospective payment (diagnostic-related groups or DRGs) system for Medicare patients. Because of DRG implementation, hospitals needed information systems that provided better filtered and formatted data for making managerial and strategic decisions. The  implementation of DRGs also revealed the weaknesses of current information systems in linking and integrating data. Weaknesses associated with the proliferation of stand-alone systems and the historical emphasis on financial systems became magnified during the 1980s coiera When the same kind of decision is made on a regular basis, it will require access to the same kind of data and may use the same knowledge. In these circumstances, one can develop a regular process or information system to accomplish the task. An information system could thus be anything from the routine way in which a clinician records patient details in a pocket notebook, the way a triage nurse assesses patients on arrival in an emergency department, through to a complex computer-based system that regulates payments for healthcare services. An information system is distinguished from other systems by its components, which include data and models. Recall from the last chapter that there are several different kinds of information model, including databases and knowledge bases. These different information components can be put together to create an information system. For example, consider a calculator that can store data and equations in its memory. The data store is the calculator’s database, and the equation store is its knowledge base. The input to the calculator becomes the equation to be solved, as well as the values of data to plug into the equation. The database communicates with the knowledge base using a simple communication channel within the device, and the output of the system is the value for the solved equation (Figure 3.6). There are many potential internal components that could be included within an information system, including a database, a knowledge base, an ontology, and decision procedures or rules of inference. The different components of an information system are connected together with input/output channels, which allow data to be shifted between the components as needed. A patient record system is a more complex example of an information system. Its purpose is to record data about particular patients in some formalized fashion to assist in the control Wager2009  An information system (IS) is an arrangement of information (data), processes, people, and information technology that interact to collect, process, store, and provide as output the information needed to support the organization (Whitten & Bentley, 2005). Note that information technology is a component of every information system. Information technology is a contemporary term that describes the combination of computer technology (hardware and software) with data and telecommunications technology (data, image, and voice networks). Often in current management literature the terms information system and information technology are used interchangeably. 6.1.1 What Is a System?shortliffe Until now, we have referred informally to health information systems and computer systems. What do we mean when we refer to a system? In the most general sense, a system is an organized set of procedures for accomplishing a task. It is described in terms of (1) the problem to be solved; (2) the data and knowledge required to address the problem; and (3) the internal process for transforming the available input into the desired output (Figure 6.1). When we talk about systems in this book, we usually mean computer-based (or just computer) systems. A computer system combines both manual and automated processes; people and machines work in concert to manage and use information. A computer system has these components: ââ€"  Hardware: The physical equipment, including processing units (e.g., the central processing unit (CPU)), data-storage devices, comunication equipment, terminals, and printers ââ€"  Software: The computer programs that direct the hardware to carry out the automated processes—i.e., to respond to user requests and schedules, to process input data, to store some data for long periods, and to communicate informative results to the users; at times the software will prompt the users to perform manual processes System Design and Engineering in Health Care 235 ââ€"  Customers: The users who interact with the software and hardware of the system, issue requests, and use the results or forward them to others; there will be other users who are concerned with providing input, system operations, backup, and maintenance The role of a computer is, broadly speaking, the conversion of data into information. Every piece of data must be supplied by a person, by another computer system, or by data collection  equipment, as seen in patient monitoring (see Chapter 17). Information that is output is delivered to health care professionals or becomes input to another computer system. In other words, a medical computer system is a module within the overall health care delivery system. The overall health care system not only determines the need for the computer system (e.g., which data must be processed and which reports must be generated) but also the requirements for the system’s operation (e.g., the degree of reliability and responsiveness to requests for information). Acquisition and operation of a computer system has implications for the organization of an institution. Who controls the information? Who is responsible for the accuracy of the data? How will the system be financed? The installation of a computer system has sociological consequences as well. The introduction of a new system alters the work routines of health care workers. Furthermore, it may affect the traditional roles of health care workers and the existing relationships among groups of individuals—e.g., between physicians and nurses, between nurses and patients, and between physicians and patients. Important ethical and legal questions that arise include the confidentiality of patient information, the appropriate role of computers in patient care (especially in medical decision making), and the responsibility of developers and users for ensuring the correct operation of the system (see Chapter 10). Although the technical challenges in system development must be met, organizational factors are crucial determinants of the success of a computer system within the institution. These factors can differ greatly among institutions and can make the transfer of a well-functioning system to another site difficult. 6.1.2 Functions of a Computer System Computers have been used in every aspect of health care delivery, from the simple processing of business data, to the collection and interpretation of physiological data, to the education of physicians and nurses. Each chapter in Unit II of this book describes an important area for the application of computers in biomedicine. The unique characteristics of each problem area create special requirements for system builders to address. The motivation  for investing in these applications, however, is the computer’s ability to help health professionals in some aspect of information management. We identify eight topics that define the range of basic functions that may be provided by medical computer systems: 1. Data acquisition and presentation 2. Record keeping and access 3. Communication and integration of information 4. Surveillance 5. Information storage and retrieval 6. Data analysis 7. Decision support 8. Education .

Lab report about metabolic syndrome Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Lab report about metabolic syndrome - Essay Example They are catalase, Glutathione peroxidase I , superoxide dismutase and thioredoxin. These antioxidants play an important role in the reduction of the elevated fatty acid level and help the patients to maintain the cholesterol level. Many genes are responsible for the regulation of oxidation in the cells. Glutathione peroxidase I is one of the major antioxidant enzyme. S...... The individual components of Metabolic Syndrome cluster together and this clustering increase the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The main root cause for this disease is linked to the poor eating habit and the sedentary life style of the people. The presence of common genetic variants can increase the susceptibility to Metabolic Syndrome. Complex gene environment interactions are also found to be associated with the Metabolic Syndrome. (Bryne and Wild 2011). Family history is the main reason for the Metabolic Syndrome prevalence in the childhood. The genes responsible for the maintenance of many cell functions play an important role for the syndrome. Insulin resistance is found to be present in the children suffering from the Metabolic Syndrome. Lipid deposition in the insulin responsive tissues is the main reason for the metabolic effects of the insulin. The hepatic fat accumulation is strongly associated with the obesity and the hepatic resistance, thereby affecting t he glucose metabolism. Background and analysis Insulin resistance is nothing but the abnormal response shown for the normal level of insulin production. Insulin resistance is further classified based on the resistance to the metabolic effects of the insulin with suppressed effect of insulin on the endogenous glucose production and peripheral glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis. Before undergoing fasting the hyperinsulinemia condition develops. Along with the increasing plasma insulin concentration, the increase of the risk factors can be found. Insulin resistance is second to the insulin resistance for the Metabolic Syndrome next to obesity. The insulin resistance factors are free fatty acids, adipocytokines, pro- inflammatory mediators and genetic factors. Insulin resistance is a

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Organizational Behavior - Essay Example One of the coping mechanisms that I use to deal with stress is being honest with others and expressing to them that I have troubles speaking English. People at school are always nice and they help me along when talking to them. When a person knows that the other has troubles with English they speak slower and use simpler language. They also listen more carefully when I talk. In the classroom when I am taking notes sometimes I have trouble understanding the English the teacher speaks. The coping mechanism I use to deal with this situation is recording all my classes in a digital recorder. I then look back at the tape recorder and play back the part I did not understand. Whenever I need extra help a friend of mine listens to the recording and helps me out with an explanation. Sometimes at school I feel stress for other reasons such as a tough project with short deadlines or a difficult test coming up. Some of the things that help me deal with stress are listening to music, playing a cl assic Seinfeld episode on Hulu.com or going out with friends to watch a good movie at the theater. In my life I feel both powerful and powerless at times. Thankfully the powerful situations outweigh the powerless. As a college student I am in a privileged situation in society because I have the opportunity to earn an education which will help me a lot in the tough and competitive labor environment of today. I live a free life without any concerns or external worries associated with being the head of a family or work related pressures. I have the opportunity to choose a college curriculum and degree that I like. I spend my weeks going to stimulating classes that I like, while being surrounded by great people all around the university. I have met a lot of tremendous persons in school that have helped me mature as a person by interacting with me in college. I enjoy a lot my social life in college as well as my

The Difficulties of Using Phrasal Verbs for English Learners Research Paper

The Difficulties of Using Phrasal Verbs for English Learners - Research Paper Example The rationale behind such a theory is that there exist a wide range of levels and types of multiword expressions which includes idioms, fixed expressions, phrasal verbs, prefabs etc. Grammar courses or EFL (English as a Foreign Language) and / or ESL (English as a Second Language) curriculums and other such textbooks concerning grammar, typically emphasize on the learning of phrasal verbs. As such verbs are comprised of verbs i.e., the content word and particles i.e., the function word, such verbs can be studied and understood with respect to studies aimed at vocabulary building as multiword expressions or in grammar as transitive verbs and separable verbs. Several phrasal verbs lack transparency in terms of meanings i.e., certain phrasal verbs are complicated in structure and form and hence it is difficult to comprehend its connotation in entirety by uniting the meanings of the components, verbs, and particles. The use of such idiomatic meanings makes it difficult for English language learners study and apply such words, even if they are aware of the significance of their use. Although the difficulty in using and learning phrasal verbs is widely known, there is little research concerning this field. This paper on â€Å"The Difficulties of Learning and Using the Phrasal Verbs for English Learners† strives to analyze and understand various aspects including the significance of such words, the types of difficulties encountered by ESL / EFL learners and the various ways of overcoming such difficulties. â€Å"A unit which is a constituent at the phrase level and above† It is often identifiable with such criteria as: being the minimal possible unit in reply and has such characteristics as a regular stress pattern and phonological changes conditioned by or blocked at word boundaries. Grammar is an integral part of language learning that facilitates everyday communication. It is a key factor that influences designing of syllabus for learners, and the central point of

Answering economics questions Explain why each of the following Essay

Answering economics questions Explain why each of the following statements is false. For each write the correct statement - Essay Example Thus, competitive profits are only those which are excess profits after the total costs are covered. Q7) Banana computer company has fixed costs of production of $100,000, while each unit costs $600 of labour and $400 of materials and fuel. At the price of $3000, each $10 reduction in price, banana computers increases 1000 units, calculate the marginal cost and marginal revenue for banana computers and determine is monopoly price and quantity. Q9) Explain the error in the following statement: "A firm out to maximize its profit will always charge the highest price that the traffic will bear". State the correct result, and use the concept of marginal revenue to explain the difference between the correct and the erroneous statements. It should be noted that the aim of the monopolist is not to maximize profit and not maximize the price. Monopolists can only do this by identifying the price level which yields the highest profits. This occurs at MC = MR which is not often the highest price that a monopolist can charge. Charging an overly high price reduces the quantity demanded and will increase the marginal cost resulting into a shrink in profit. Q1) Review collusive oligopoly and monopolistic competition, which are two theories of imperfect competition discussed in this chapter. Draw up a table that compares perfect competition, monopoly, and the two theories with respect to the following characteristics: (a) number of firms; (b) extent of collusion; (c) price vs marginal cost; (d) price vs. long run average cost; (e) efficiency. Factors Monopolistic competition Collusive Oligopoly Number of Firms Large number of sellers Few large producers Extent of Collusion No collusion Control over price but mutual interdependence Price vs. Marginal Cost Price increase will lead to a substantial decrease in demand, thus, higher MC Price increase wi

Discourse Community Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Shipping Strategies in Transportation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Shipping Strategies in Transportation - Essay Example Shipping was traditionally viewed as a direct service from port to port, with the misconception that direct shipping represents the most efficient mode of moving goods (Hanley 2003). But increasingly, this is not the case due to a number of converging factors. First, this has to do with the fact that in order to support traffic on a certain route, ports need to be of certain size. Moreover, with direct shipping, routes and scheduling have become very complex, and that complexity has led to inefficiencies. Ports that are able to create mechanisms to improve efficiency in this environment will gain a greater share of the market. An examination of the shipping volumes at major ports conducted by Hanley (2003) shows that a very significant proportion of the trade is handled by a small group of port operators. Lambert's (1999) study illustrates that the top ten ports (1.4 percent of ports) in the world out of a total of 700 ports surveyed handled 38 percent of the global container cargo in 1997. Should this be extended to the top 25 ports (3.6 percent), the volume handled would increase to 56 percent or over half. Formulation of shipping strategies in the complex environment is the focus of Coyle, Bardi, and Novack's (2006) study. The study provides a very useful approach to in a fast-paced and hastily changing industry. The very appropriate scenarios that these authors are focusing on are the metropolitan areas which have been the essential hubs of economic integration, fostering and benefiting from innovations in commercial, manufacturing, communications, and transportation technologies. In the twenty-first century, nevertheless, only those metropolitan areas that adapt to global economic trends and provide the infrastructure and services that support knowledge-based and technology-driven industries will stay geographic nodes of worldwide business transactions. Persistent technological innovation, particularly in globally interconnected digital communications, transportation, and logistics systems, has spawned the fast growth of service and manufacturing industries connected through virtual networks and supply chains, and is increasing the demand for rapid delivery of high quality goods, services, and information in North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Globalization, the mobility of factors of production, and advances in information and transportation technology are essentially and persistently changing the economic bases of metropolitan areas and the requirements for attracting and maintaining competitive economic activities. Shipping Strategies: A Review Complexity of Direct Shipping From a global system point of view, the complexity of direct shipping is one facet that is often overlooked but is essentially critical. For instance, sustaining direct point-to-point shipping among ten ports necessitates 100 services from one region to another. Should this be doubled to 20 ports from a region to be connected to another 20 ports in another region, then it will require 400 services. The complexity in ensuring these connections is evident. What is less evident is the need for more ships and consequently, more crowded sea-lanes just to provide the necessary connections. Probably, the most significant point is the need for enough traffic to justify such services. Current trade volume in the