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We present a model of applied clinical informatics in the context of medical informatics in general, across the domain of health sciences and the continuum of information technology development and its adoption into workflow. The distinct challenges of applied clinical informatics present an opportunity to improve efforts through collaboration of the growing number of physicians, health institutional leaders and other health workers in successfully implementing working systems. This journal will [...]

Hospital stays for patients with pressure ulcers (PU) increased nearly 80% from 1992 to 2006. Most PU's developed during an admission, often despite preventive efforts from clinical staff. Data from Electronic medical records (EMR's) were used to prepare daily patient risk factor and PU information for nurses to help prevent PU development and exacerbations.

Healthcare professionals, industry and policy makers have identified Health Information Exchange (HIE) as a solution to improve patient safety and overall quality of care. The potential benefits of HIE on healthcare have fostered its implementation and adoption in the United States. However,there is a dearth of publications that demonstrate HIE effectiveness. The purpose of this review was to identify and describe evidence of HIE impact on healthcare outcomes.

Telemonitoring of vital signs is an established option in treatment of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). In order to allow for early detection of atrial fibrillation (AF) which is highly prevalent in the CHF population telemonitoring programs should include electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. It was therefore the aim to extend our current home monitoring system based on mobile phones and Near Field Communication technology (NFC) to enable patients acquiring their [...]

Clinical trials are widely accepted as a necessary step in evaluating the safety and efficacy of new pharmaceutical products. In order for a sufficiently powered study, a clinical trial depends on the effective and unbiased recruitment of eligible patients. Trials involving seasonal diseases like influenza pose additional challenges.

The slow adoption of electronic health record (EHR) systems has been linked to physician resistance to change and the expense of EHR adoption. This qualitative study was conducted to evaluate benefits, and clarify limitations of two mature, robust, comprehensive EHR Systems by tech-savvy physicians where resistance and expense are not at issue.

Health information exchange (HIE) is the interorganizational sharing of patient information and is one of many health information technology initiatives expected to transform the U.S. healthcare system. Two outcomes expected to be improved by HIE are patient-provider communication and patient satisfaction . This analysis examined the relationship between the level of HIE engagement and these two factors in a sample of U.S. hospitals.

Computerized decision support systems (CDSSs) have the potential to significantly improve the quality of nursing care of older people by enhancing the decision making of nursing personnel. Despite this potential, health care organizations have been slow to incorporate CDSSs into nursing home practices.

A computerized laboratory result paging system (LRPS) that alerts providers about abnormal results ("push") may improve upon active laboratory result review ("pull"). However, implementing such a system in the intensive care setting may be hindered by low signal-to-noise ratio, which may lead to alert fatigue.