ICH99 - Problem-Focused Organization of Health Information Resources

Problem-Focused Organization of Health Information Resources

Dr. Aziz A. Boxwala, Dr. Robert A. Greenes, Dr. Lucila Ohno-Machado, Sandra Kogan, Jeannie Tam. (Harvard Medical School)

Abstract

We have developed an approach to consumer health informatics called HealthAware^TM that provides individuals with a variety of health information and decision support resources organized around a health topic or problem. Examples of resources include didactic materials, FAQs, news items, risk assessment tools, and communication tools (e.g., online support groups, and "ask-a-doctor" services). Further, if the individual has a problem which requires access to health care services, the system links to a resource locator that enables identification of local services (e.g., mammography facilities in the area) and providers, facilitates scheduling or communication, and offers other logistical support (such as preparation instructions, transportation and parking information). A unique aspect of this approach is that it seeks to provide an integrated solution for a consumer's information needs, and "closes the loop" on problems by making appropriate connections, rather than leaving the problems "dangling". A testbed implementation of HealthAware is underway at the Boston College campus to evaluate this approach to consumer health informatics, where it is available to faculty, staff, and students. Initial focus areas for the testbed include breast disease, cardiovascular disease, sports injuries, substance abuse, pregnancy, and prenatal care, encompassing 37 health-care topics. Methods of evaluation include online and in-person interviews, questionnaires, focus groups and ethnographic studies of the patients and providers. The evaluation process is partially automated with users receiving and responding, via e-mail, to study questionnaires.

About Dr. Aziz A. Boxwala

Dr. Boxwala is medical school graduate of the University of Bombay (1991) and received his Ph.D. in Medical Informatics from the University of North Carolina (1996). His areas of expertise include database design, clinical information systems, clinical workstations, object oriented software development, and medical imaging systems. At the DSG, his research areas include consumer health informatics, database mediators, on-line patient referral services, clinical guidelines, and healthcare quality data management.
See also Dr. Boxwala's homepage.

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