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This paper presents the equity implementation model (EIM) in the context of a case that describes the implementation of a medical scheduling system. The model is based on equity theory, a well-established theory in the social sciences that has been tested in hundreds of experimental and field studies. The predictions of equity theory have been supported in organizational, societal, family, and other social settings. Thus, the EIM helps provide a [...]

A type definition, as a component of the categorical structures of a concept-oriented terminology, must support nonambiguous concept representations and, consequently, comparisons of data that are represented using different terminologies. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the adequacy and utility of a proposed type definition for nursing activity concepts.

The Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) combines many well-established authoritative medical informatics terminologies in one knowledge representation system. Such a resource is very valuable to the health care community and industry. However, the UMLS is very large and complex and poses serious comprehension problems for users and maintenance personnel. The authors present a representation to support the user's comprehension and navigation of the UMLS.

This study examined whether clinical data routinely available in a computerized patient record (CPR) can be used to drive a complex guideline that supports physicians in real time and at the point of care in assessing the risk of mortality for patients with community-acquired pneumonia.

To query a clinical data repository (CDR) for answers to clinical questions to determine whether different types of fields (coded and free text) would yield confirmatory, complementary, or conflicting information and to discuss the issues involved in producing the discrepancies between the fields.

To design a pattern recognition engine based on concepts derived from mammalian immune systems.

A new form of scientific medical meeting has emerged in the last few years--the virtual congress. This article describes the general role of computer technologies and the Internet in the development of this new means of scientific communication, by reviewing the history of "cyber sessions" in medical education and the rationale, methods, and initial results of the First Virtual Congress of Cardiology. Instructions on how to participate in this virtual [...]

A variety of methods have been proposed for presenting medical data visually on computers. Discussion of and comparison among these methods have been hindered by a lack of consistent terminology. A taxonomy of medical data presentations based on object-oriented user interface principles is presented. Presentations are divided into five major classes-list, table, graph, icon, and generated text. These are subdivided into eight subclasses with simple inheritance and four subclasses with [...]

Perrow's models of organizational technologies provide a framework for analyzing clinical work processes and identifying the management structures and informatics tools to support each model. From this perspective, health care is a mixed model in which knowledge workers require flexible management and a variety of informatics tools. A Venn diagram representing the content of clinical decisions shows that uncertainties in the components of clinical decisions largely determine which type of [...]

Non-health-care uses of information technology (IT) provide important lessons for health care informatics that are often overlooked because of the focus on the ways in which health care is different from other domains. Eight examples of IT use outside health care provide a context in which to examine the content and potential relevance of these lessons. Drawn from personal experience, five books, and two interviews, the examples deal with the [...]