MEDICAL INFORMATICS
AND ITS APPLICATION IN
FAMILY MEDICINE
BY
DR ANYIM CHIDI (MBBCH,FMCFM)
DEPT OF FAMILY MEDICINE
NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL,NN
ANAMBRA STATE
• OUTLINE
DEFINITIONS
SCIENTIFIC AREA OF MEDICAL INFORMATICS
STAGES OF MEDICAL INFORMATICS AREA
OBJECTIVES OF MEDICAL INFORMATICS
APPLICATIONS IN FAMILY MEDICINE
MERITS AND DEMERITS
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
DEFINITIONS
Medical informatics is the science of using
system – analytic tools to develop procedures
(algorithm) for management, process control,
decision making and scientific analysis of
medical knowledge.
DEFINITIONS
It comprises the theoretical and practical
aspects of information processing and
communication, based on knowledge and
experience from processes in medicine and
health care.
DEFINITIONS
It also involves the storage, organization,
protection, retrieval and analysis of health care
information from a variety of sources.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Informatics (Academic field) : A broad academic
field encompassing human-computer
interaction, information science, information
technology, algorithms and social science.
Information Technology : The study, design,
development ,implementation, support or
management of computer-based information
system.
[Link] Informatics is
Multidisciplinary
The prevention, treatment,
and management of illness
and the promotion of health
and wellbeing through the
services offered by the
Health medical, nursing, and allied
Care health professions.
Health
Informatic
Compute
Informatio s
The collection, r
Classification, n Science
Storage, retrieval Science
And dissemination The theoretical
of information. foundations of
The collection and Information and
Use of knowledge application in
in Organization. computer
The interaction system
between people,
organizations and
information
Therapeutic
Cycle, Simplified View.
[Link] collection
-History
-Physical
examination Information
Data
-Laboratory and
other test
[Link]
Patient n
Making
[Link]
Therapy plan
g Diagnosis/
assessment
SCIENTIFIC AREAS OF MEDICAL
INFORMATICS
Clinical informatics
Nursing informatics
Dental informatics
Veterinary informatics
Public health informatics
CLINICAL INFORMATICS
It is a sub-field of medical informatics
It is a combination of information science,
computer science and clinical science designed
to assist in the management and processing of
data, information and knowledge to support the
practice and delivery of clinical care.
NURSING INFORMATICS
It is a sub specialty of medical informatics that
integrates nursing science, computer science
and information science to manage and
communicate data, information and knowledge
in nursing practice.
DENTAL INFORMATICS
Is the application of computer and information
science to improve dental practice, research,
education and management.
It improves patient care by improving efficiency
and effectiveness in different areas of a common
dental practice.
VETERINARY INFORMATICS
It is a combination of information science,
computer science and clinical science designed
to assist in the management and processing of
data, information and knowledge to support the
practice and delivery of care to animals.
PUBLIC HEALTH INFORMATICS
Has been defined as the systematic application
of information and computer and technology to
public health practice, research and learning.
Major Tasks:
1. Collection of public health data
2. Storage of public health data
3. Analysis of public health data
STAGES OF MEDICAL INFORMATICS
1. Deciding what and how to collect data
2. Collection requires completeness and accuracy
3. Integration requires organizing collected data
4. Reflection requires interpreting and making
sense of data
5. Action requires determining how to convert new
understanding into an actionable plan.
• OBJECTIVES OF MEDICAL INFORMATICS
Making health care services affordable and
accessible to all Nigerians.
Protecting families from the financial burden of
medical bills.
Limiting in the increase in the cost of health care
services.
OBJECTIVES OF MEDICAL
INFORMATICS
Distributing health care costs equitably
among different income groups.
Setting and monitoring standards for
health care delivery services.
Establishing a health care system that
can adapt to local conditions and
changing technology.
APPLICATIONS OF MEDICAL
INFORMATICS IN FAMILY MEDICINE
Access patient health records.
Track medical histories
Provide decision support for clinicians
Solve medical problems
OTHER APPLICATIONS IN FAMILY
MEDICINE
Electronic Health Record
Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS)
Telemedicine and Tele health care
Mobile health and wearable devices ie health
conscious
OTHER APPLICATIONS
Patient portals
Pictures Archiving and Communicating Systems
(PACS)
Artificial Intelligence
Machine Learning
MERITS
Medical Informatics can improve quality and
safety of care by reducing errors and providing
quality care.
Compliance with accreditation and practice
standards.
Education by providing knowledge and information
for patients and staff.
DEMERITS
Breach of protected health information.
Altered data may inadvertently lead to incorrect
health care decisions.
Altered device functionality may result in
adverse results.
Patient interact with technology instead of a live
care provider.
DEMERITS
Power Outage
Poor Internet
Lack of trained Personnel
Incomplete and inaccurate information
DEMERITS
Inadequate updated working materials
Professional Rivalry
Lack of professionalism with quackery and
incompetence.
CONCLUSION
The primary goal of medical informatics is to
provide decision support for clinicians.
This is a very important tool for family
physicians since it helps in improving patients
care increasing efficiency and better outcome in
patients care.
REFERENCES
Frank Cervone,H. “Perspective on informatics in
the health sciences for information
professionals” Digital library perspective 32, no.
4(Nov 14,
2016):[Link]://[Link]/10.1108/dlp-07-
2016-0020
Adejumo, A, [Link], and [Link], “ Health
informatics for Development: a Threepronged
Strategy of partnerships, Standards, and Mobile
Health. “Yearbook of Medical Informatics 20, no
01(August 2018): 96-101.
Moehr, J.R. “Where to in the Next Ten Years of
Health informatics Education? (2021):283-
REFERENCES
Hollis, Kate Fultz. “Informatics for One Health”
Yearbook of Medical Informatics 32,
no.01( August 2023) : 002-6.
[Link]
Ebenezer, Catherine. “Health Informatics on the
web.” Free Pint Ltd, 2018.
[Link]