Representation of People’s Decisions in Health Information Systems

Abstract

SummaryObjectivesIn this study, we aimed: 1) to conceptualize the theoretical challenges facing health information systems (HIS) to represent patients' decisions about health and medical treatments in everyday life; 2) to suggest approaches for modeling these processes.MethodsThe conceptualization of the theoretical and methodological challenges was discussed in 2015 during a series of interdisciplinary meetings attended by health informatics staff, epidemiologists and health professionals working in quality management and primary and secondary prevention of chronic diseases of the Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, together with sociologists, anthropologists and e-health stakeholders.ResultsHIS are facing the need and challenge to represent social human processes based on constructivist and complexity theories, which are the current frameworks of human sciences for understanding human learning and socio-cultural changes. Computer systems based on these theories can model processes of social construction of concrete and subjective entities and the interrelationships between them. These theories could be implemented, among other ways, through the mapping of health assets, analysis of social impact through community trials and modeling of complexity with system simulation tools.ConclusionsThis analysis suggested the need to complement the traditional linear causal explanations of disease onset (and treatments) that are the bases for models of analysis of HIS with constructivist and complexity frameworks. Both may enlighten the complex interrelationships among patients, health services and the health system. The aim of this strategy is to clarify people's decision making processes to improve the efficiency, quality and equity of the health services and the health system.

Terminology Services: Standard Terminologies to Control Health Vocabulary

“…Recognized non-valid concepts block the input of that kind of data in the system and improve the overall quality. We are still working on enriching thesaurus descriptions and adding social determinants of health, social activities for promoting and preventing health, information on behavioral changes and people decisions and preferences 37 , familiar and other social relationships that are important for health, social assets, and relevant genetic information.…”

Discussion of “Representation of People’s Decisions in Health Information Systems: A Complementary Approach for Understanding Health Care Systems and Population Health”

“…The stated objectives of this study [ 1 ] was to: conceptualize the theoretical challenges facing health information systems (HIS) to represent patients’ decisions about health and medical treatments in everyday life; and to suggest approaches for modeling these processes. After making a good analysis of the literature the authors confirmed the need and then the aim of this study which is “to conceptualize patient decisions about health care and the treatment of chronic diseases under new theoretical frameworks”.…”

“…De Quiros, Dawidowski and Figar’s paper entitled the “Representation of People’s Decisions in Health Information Systems: A Complementary Approach for Understanding Health Care Systems and Population Health” [ 1 ] outlines a new and important lens through which we as health informatics researchers and health information technology professionals need to view the citizens, families and communities in our country and globally. Historically, health information systems (HIS) were designed and used by health professionals (i.e.…”

“…With these comments on the paper “Representation of People’s Decisions in Health Information Systems: A Complementary Approach for Understanding Health Care Systems and Population Health” written by Fernan Gonzalez Bernaldo de Quiros, Adriana Ruth Dawidowski, and Silvana Figar [ 1 ], the journal seeks to stimulate a broad discussion on the future role of health information systems. An international group of experts has been invited by the editor of Methods to comment on this paper.…”

Health Information Systems Supporting Health and Resiliency Through Improved Decision-making

“…De Quiros and colleagues [ 1 ] are curious about the ways that health technology, specifically health information systems (HIS) might 1) create a context that makes healthy behaviors more intuitive, appealing, and facile; and 2) address illness from the biopsychosocial framework [ 2 ], measuring and accounting for the psychological, sociocultural, and environmental factors that affect health. Technology can be used to create social constructs to optimize health.…”