Due to a higher need for healthcare provision, and due to the decreasing number of contributors in the German healthcare system, the market situation has changed over the last years. The resulting competitive and cost pressure forces the executives to tap potentials in a competitive manner. Analytical Information Systems as part of business intelligence can be used to receive information from several integrated data sources that may be used in the decision making process. However, the system’s complexity of use can be seen as problematic so that unskilled business users, unlike power users, are not able to execute analyses for their issues in an adequate way. The focus of the presented approach lies on a semantic metadata layer, which is capable to import and manage modeled semantic metadata. Based on this layer, the metadata is supposed to be used for further analyses support functionalities in order to allow a business user information self-service.

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PurposeEvaluation of a customer-designed dental service network across the service sectors for geriatric patients.ContextThe lack in accessibility of dental services and the non-awareness of possible dental causes to medical problems by clinicians often prevents the geriatric patient from receiving the dental care needed. In cooperation with the Dental Board a geriatric dentist was appointed, multi-professional rounds, training in oral hygiene organized and a documentation system for cross-references to other medical conditions and the nutritional status implemented.Data sourceThe scientific evaluation of >280 geriatric dental patients from 2008 to 2009 (22 with original teeth, 260 with dentures, 88 with denture problems, 32 with other affections).Case descriptionUpon admission patients are screened for dental problems. Possible problems are seen by the specially trained geriatric dentist. The patient’s dental problems are photo-documented and than cross-referenced to his overall medical condition in a common documentation sheet for an overview of possible dental causes, the nutritional situation or other conditions.Conclusion and discussionThe integration of a special geriatric dental service, using competence from across the sectors of medical care lead to an improved level of dental care and oral hygiene in the geriatric patients and better inter-professional understanding.