This study aimed to evaluate the use of a shared electronic primary health care record (EHR) to assist with medicines reconciliation in the hospital from admission to discharge. Methods: This is a prospective cross-sectional, comparison evaluation for 2 phases, in a short-term elderly admissions ward in the United Kingdom. In phase 1, full reconciliation of the medication history was attempted, using conventional methods, before accessing the EHR, and then the EHR was used to verify the reconciliation. In phase 2, the EHR was the initial method of retrieving the medication history-validated by conventional methods. Results: Where reconciliation was led by conventional methods, and before any access to the EHR was attempted, 28 (28%) of hospital prescriptions were found to contain errors. Of 99 prescriptions subsequently checked using the EHR, only 50 (50%) matched the EHR. Of the remainder, 25% of prescriptions contained errors when verified by the EHR. However, 26% of patients had an incorrect list of current medications on the EHR. Using the EHR as the primary method of reconciliation, 33 (32%) of 102 prescriptions matched the EHR. Of those that did not match, 39 (38%) of prescriptions were found to contain errors. Furthermore, 37 (36%) of patients had an incorrect list of current medications on the EHR. The most common error type on the discharge prescription was drug omission; and on the EHR, wrong drug. Common potentially serious errors were related to unidentified allergies and adverse drug reactions. Conclusions: The EHR can reduce medication errors. However, the EHR should be seen as one of a range of information sources for reconciliation; the primary source being the patient or their carer. Both primary care and hospital clinicians should have read-and-write access to the EHR to reduce errors at care transitions. We recommend further evaluation studies.

Os Sistemas de Registro Eletrônico em Saúde (S-RES) permitem manipular e analisar um grande volume de dados e informações de saúde. O desenvolvimento, disponibilização e uso de funcionalidades para S-RES pode beneficiar tanto os profissionais de saúde como os pacientes. Estes sistemas devem ser próprios para o contexto onde serão utilizados, podendo estar voltados a diferentes áreas da saúde, assim como para diferentes níveis de atenção à saúde. Para o usuário final, a adequação do S-RES é avaliada pela qualidade em uso que resulta, principalmente, da funcionalidade, confiabilidade, usabilidade e eficiência do sistema. O termo funcionalidade designa o aspecto do sistema computacional que retrata as funções necessárias para a resolução de problemas dentro de um determinado contexto de uso. A funcionalidade se refere àquilo que um programa faz e, no caso de software interativo, o que ele deve oferecer para seus usuários. Frente a este contexto, a presente dissertação se propõe a identificar, através da literatura e de documentos de referência sobre o tema, as funcionalidades para os S-RES com potencial de apoiar os profissionais de saúde na prestação do cuidado ao paciente na Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS). Nenhuma das listas de funcionalidades existentes na literatura é específica para S-RES para APS. Foi realizada uma revisão da literatura nas principais bases de dados da área da saúde. Para a extração das funcionalidades, foram selecionados os documentos mais relevantes e que eram referência para os demais materiais consultados. As funcionalidades apresentadas pelos documentos foram compiladas e formatadas em uma planilha eletrônica de maneira que pudessem ser utilizadas para seleção de funcionalidades para um S-RES para APS. As funcionalidades identificadas foram categorizadas e agrupadas por similaridade de aplicação em sete categorias relacionadas ao contexto de trabalho na APS. Três documentos foram utilizados para a seleção das funcionalidades. A análise das funcionalidades identificadas evidenciou a predominância de funcionalidades relacionadas a aspectos clínicos da prestação do cuidado dos pacientes. De um total de 145 funcionalidades, 91 (62,8%) foram classificadas como de “manejo clínico do paciente”, grande parte dessas voltadas para o diagnóstico e tratamento clínico, como também para o apoio à decisão clínica. O conjunto de funcionalidades relacionadas à “prevenção” e às classificadas como de “educação em saúde e comunicação com o paciente” representaram juntas apenas 20% do total, com respectivamente 11,7% e 8,3% do total de funcionalidades identificadas. Importantes funcionalidades para S-RES de APS que consideram as perspectivas e preferências do paciente e de sua família em relação à saúde, e ainda, o relacionamentos entre os sujeitos, foram classificadas como “aspectos subjetivos e familiares” e representaram 4,8% do total de funcionalidades de APS. Por fim, é possível reconhecer que a maioria das funcionalidades para S-RES adequadas ao contexto da APS está direcionada ao manejo clínico dos pacientes. São poucas as funcionalidades que contemplam as demais dimensões do trabalho em APS e que favorecem uma compreensão da pessoa de modo integral. / Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems allow to manipulate and analyze large volumes of data and health information. The development , availability and use of features for EHR systems can benefit both health professionals and patients. These systems shall be suitable to the context where they will be used, or can be directed to different areas of health, as well as different levels of health care. For the end user, the adequacy of the EHR systems is evaluated for quality in use which results mainly from the: functionality, reliability, usability and system efficiency. Functionality refers to the aspect of the computer system that represents the functions required to solve problems within a specified context of use. Functionality refers to what a program does and, in the case of interactive software, what it must offer to its users. Facing this context, this thesis aims to identify, through literature and reference documents on the subject, the functionality for the EHR systems with the potential to support health professionals in the provision of patient care in Primary health Care (PHC). None of functionalities lists existing in the literature is specific to EHR systems for PHC. A literature review was conducted in the main bases of health care data. For the extraction of functionalities, the most relevant documents were selected and they were reference for other found materials. The functionalities presented by the documents were compiled and formatted in a electronic spreadsheet. So it could be used for selection of functionalities for an EHR systems for PHC. The identified functionalities were categorized and grouped by similarity application in seven categories related to the work context in PHC. Three documents were used for selection of functionalities. The analysis of the identified functionalities showed the predominance of functionalities related to clinical aspects of the provision of patient care. The total of 145 functionalities, 91 (62.8%) were classified as "clinical management of patients", most of these focused on the diagnosis and treatment, but also to clinical decision support. The group of functionalities related to "prevention" and classified as "health education and communication with the patient" together accounted for only 20% of the total, respectively 11.7% and 8.3% of the identified functionalities. Important functionalities to EHR systems for Primary Healh Care which regard the perspectives and preferences of patients and their families in relation to health, and also the relationships between the subjects were classified as "subjective and family aspects" and represented 4.8% of total PHC functionalities. Finally, it is possible to recognize that most of the appropriate EHR systems functionalities to the context of Primary Health Care is directed to the clinical management of patients. There are few functionalities that contemplate other dimensions of Primary Health Care work and support a comprehension of the person as a whole.

Os Sistemas de Registro Eletrônico em Saúde (S-RES) permitem manipular e analisar um grande volume de dados e informações de saúde. O desenvolvimento, disponibilização e uso de funcionalidades para S-RES pode beneficiar tanto os profissionais de saúde como os pacientes. Estes sistemas devem ser próprios para o contexto onde serão utilizados, podendo estar voltados a diferentes áreas da saúde, assim como para diferentes níveis de atenção à saúde. Para o usuário final, a adequação do S-RES é avaliada pela qualidade em uso que resulta, principalmente, da funcionalidade, confiabilidade, usabilidade e eficiência do sistema. O termo funcionalidade designa o aspecto do sistema computacional que retrata as funções necessárias para a resolução de problemas dentro de um determinado contexto de uso. A funcionalidade se refere àquilo que um programa faz e, no caso de software interativo, o que ele deve oferecer para seus usuários. Frente a este contexto, a presente dissertação se propõe a identificar, através da literatura e de documentos de referência sobre o tema, as funcionalidades para os S-RES com potencial de apoiar os profissionais de saúde na prestação do cuidado ao paciente na Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS). Nenhuma das listas de funcionalidades existentes na literatura é específica para S-RES para APS. Foi realizada uma revisão da literatura nas principais bases de dados da área da saúde. Para a extração das funcionalidades, foram selecionados os documentos mais relevantes e que eram referência para os demais materiais consultados. As funcionalidades apresentadas pelos documentos foram compiladas e formatadas em uma planilha eletrônica de maneira que pudessem ser utilizadas para seleção de funcionalidades para um S-RES para APS. As funcionalidades identificadas foram categorizadas e agrupadas por similaridade de aplicação em sete categorias relacionadas ao contexto de trabalho na APS. Três documentos foram utilizados para a seleção das funcionalidades. A análise das funcionalidades identificadas evidenciou a predominância de funcionalidades relacionadas a aspectos clínicos da prestação do cuidado dos pacientes. De um total de 145 funcionalidades, 91 (62,8%) foram classificadas como de “manejo clínico do paciente”, grande parte dessas voltadas para o diagnóstico e tratamento clínico, como também para o apoio à decisão clínica. O conjunto de funcionalidades relacionadas à “prevenção” e às classificadas como de “educação em saúde e comunicação com o paciente” representaram juntas apenas 20% do total, com respectivamente 11,7% e 8,3% do total de funcionalidades identificadas. Importantes funcionalidades para S-RES de APS que consideram as perspectivas e preferências do paciente e de sua família em relação à saúde, e ainda, o relacionamentos entre os sujeitos, foram classificadas como “aspectos subjetivos e familiares” e representaram 4,8% do total de funcionalidades de APS. Por fim, é possível reconhecer que a maioria das funcionalidades para S-RES adequadas ao contexto da APS está direcionada ao manejo clínico dos pacientes. São poucas as funcionalidades que contemplam as demais dimensões do trabalho em APS e que favorecem uma compreensão da pessoa de modo integral. / Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems allow to manipulate and analyze large volumes of data and health information. The development , availability and use of features for EHR systems can benefit both health professionals and patients. These systems shall be suitable to the context where they will be used, or can be directed to different areas of health, as well as different levels of health care. For the end user, the adequacy of the EHR systems is evaluated for quality in use which results mainly from the: functionality, reliability, usability and system efficiency. Functionality refers to the aspect of the computer system that represents the functions required to solve problems within a specified context of use. Functionality refers to what a program does and, in the case of interactive software, what it must offer to its users. Facing this context, this thesis aims to identify, through literature and reference documents on the subject, the functionality for the EHR systems with the potential to support health professionals in the provision of patient care in Primary health Care (PHC). None of functionalities lists existing in the literature is specific to EHR systems for PHC. A literature review was conducted in the main bases of health care data. For the extraction of functionalities, the most relevant documents were selected and they were reference for other found materials. The functionalities presented by the documents were compiled and formatted in a electronic spreadsheet. So it could be used for selection of functionalities for an EHR systems for PHC. The identified functionalities were categorized and grouped by similarity application in seven categories related to the work context in PHC. Three documents were used for selection of functionalities. The analysis of the identified functionalities showed the predominance of functionalities related to clinical aspects of the provision of patient care. The total of 145 functionalities, 91 (62.8%) were classified as "clinical management of patients", most of these focused on the diagnosis and treatment, but also to clinical decision support. The group of functionalities related to "prevention" and classified as "health education and communication with the patient" together accounted for only 20% of the total, respectively 11.7% and 8.3% of the identified functionalities. Important functionalities to EHR systems for Primary Healh Care which regard the perspectives and preferences of patients and their families in relation to health, and also the relationships between the subjects were classified as "subjective and family aspects" and represented 4.8% of total PHC functionalities. Finally, it is possible to recognize that most of the appropriate EHR systems functionalities to the context of Primary Health Care is directed to the clinical management of patients. There are few functionalities that contemplate other dimensions of Primary Health Care work and support a comprehension of the person as a whole.

Os Sistemas de Registro Eletrônico em Saúde (S-RES) permitem manipular e analisar um grande volume de dados e informações de saúde. O desenvolvimento, disponibilização e uso de funcionalidades para S-RES pode beneficiar tanto os profissionais de saúde como os pacientes. Estes sistemas devem ser próprios para o contexto onde serão utilizados, podendo estar voltados a diferentes áreas da saúde, assim como para diferentes níveis de atenção à saúde. Para o usuário final, a adequação do S-RES é avaliada pela qualidade em uso que resulta, principalmente, da funcionalidade, confiabilidade, usabilidade e eficiência do sistema. O termo funcionalidade designa o aspecto do sistema computacional que retrata as funções necessárias para a resolução de problemas dentro de um determinado contexto de uso. A funcionalidade se refere àquilo que um programa faz e, no caso de software interativo, o que ele deve oferecer para seus usuários. Frente a este contexto, a presente dissertação se propõe a identificar, através da literatura e de documentos de referência sobre o tema, as funcionalidades para os S-RES com potencial de apoiar os profissionais de saúde na prestação do cuidado ao paciente na Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS). Nenhuma das listas de funcionalidades existentes na literatura é específica para S-RES para APS. Foi realizada uma revisão da literatura nas principais bases de dados da área da saúde. Para a extração das funcionalidades, foram selecionados os documentos mais relevantes e que eram referência para os demais materiais consultados. As funcionalidades apresentadas pelos documentos foram compiladas e formatadas em uma planilha eletrônica de maneira que pudessem ser utilizadas para seleção de funcionalidades para um S-RES para APS. As funcionalidades identificadas foram categorizadas e agrupadas por similaridade de aplicação em sete categorias relacionadas ao contexto de trabalho na APS. Três documentos foram utilizados para a seleção das funcionalidades. A análise das funcionalidades identificadas evidenciou a predominância de funcionalidades relacionadas a aspectos clínicos da prestação do cuidado dos pacientes. De um total de 145 funcionalidades, 91 (62,8%) foram classificadas como de “manejo clínico do paciente”, grande parte dessas voltadas para o diagnóstico e tratamento clínico, como também para o apoio à decisão clínica. O conjunto de funcionalidades relacionadas à “prevenção” e às classificadas como de “educação em saúde e comunicação com o paciente” representaram juntas apenas 20% do total, com respectivamente 11,7% e 8,3% do total de funcionalidades identificadas. Importantes funcionalidades para S-RES de APS que consideram as perspectivas e preferências do paciente e de sua família em relação à saúde, e ainda, o relacionamentos entre os sujeitos, foram classificadas como “aspectos subjetivos e familiares” e representaram 4,8% do total de funcionalidades de APS. Por fim, é possível reconhecer que a maioria das funcionalidades para S-RES adequadas ao contexto da APS está direcionada ao manejo clínico dos pacientes. São poucas as funcionalidades que contemplam as demais dimensões do trabalho em APS e que favorecem uma compreensão da pessoa de modo integral. / Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems allow to manipulate and analyze large volumes of data and health information. The development , availability and use of features for EHR systems can benefit both health professionals and patients. These systems shall be suitable to the context where they will be used, or can be directed to different areas of health, as well as different levels of health care. For the end user, the adequacy of the EHR systems is evaluated for quality in use which results mainly from the: functionality, reliability, usability and system efficiency. Functionality refers to the aspect of the computer system that represents the functions required to solve problems within a specified context of use. Functionality refers to what a program does and, in the case of interactive software, what it must offer to its users. Facing this context, this thesis aims to identify, through literature and reference documents on the subject, the functionality for the EHR systems with the potential to support health professionals in the provision of patient care in Primary health Care (PHC). None of functionalities lists existing in the literature is specific to EHR systems for PHC. A literature review was conducted in the main bases of health care data. For the extraction of functionalities, the most relevant documents were selected and they were reference for other found materials. The functionalities presented by the documents were compiled and formatted in a electronic spreadsheet. So it could be used for selection of functionalities for an EHR systems for PHC. The identified functionalities were categorized and grouped by similarity application in seven categories related to the work context in PHC. Three documents were used for selection of functionalities. The analysis of the identified functionalities showed the predominance of functionalities related to clinical aspects of the provision of patient care. The total of 145 functionalities, 91 (62.8%) were classified as "clinical management of patients", most of these focused on the diagnosis and treatment, but also to clinical decision support. The group of functionalities related to "prevention" and classified as "health education and communication with the patient" together accounted for only 20% of the total, respectively 11.7% and 8.3% of the identified functionalities. Important functionalities to EHR systems for Primary Healh Care which regard the perspectives and preferences of patients and their families in relation to health, and also the relationships between the subjects were classified as "subjective and family aspects" and represented 4.8% of total PHC functionalities. Finally, it is possible to recognize that most of the appropriate EHR systems functionalities to the context of Primary Health Care is directed to the clinical management of patients. There are few functionalities that contemplate other dimensions of Primary Health Care work and support a comprehension of the person as a whole.

The author investigates the performance of a time series based approach in predicting the risk of patients abandoning treatment in a treatment program for childhood obesity. The time series based approach is compared and contrasted to an approach based on static features (which has been applied in similar problems). Four machine learning models are constructed; one ‘Main model’ using both time series forecasting and three ‘reference models’ created by removing or exchanging parts of the main model to test the performance of using only time series forecasting or only static features in the prediction. The main model achieves an ROC-AUC of 0.77 on the data set. ANOVA testing is used to determine whether the four models perform differently. A difference cannot be verified at the significance level of 0.05, and thus, the author concludes that the project cannot show either an advantage or a disadvantage to employing a time series based approach over static features in this problem. / Författaren jämför modeller baserade på tidsserieförutsägelser med modeller baserade på statiska, fasta värden, till syfte att identifera patienter som riskerar att lämna ett behandlingsprogram för barnfetma. Fyra maskininlärningsmodeller konstrueras, en ‘Huvudmodell’ som använder sig av både tidsserieförutsägelser och statiska värden, och tre modeller som bryter ut delar av huvudmodellen för undersöka beteendet i modeller baserade enbart på statiska värden respektive enbart baserade på tidsserieförutsägelser. Huvudmodellen uppnår ROC-AUC0.77 på datasetet. ANOVA(variansanalys) används för att avgöra huruvida de fyra modellernas resultat skiljer sig, och en skillnad kan ej verieras vid P = 0:05. Följaktligen drar författaren slutsatsen att projektet inte har kunnat visa vare sig en signifikant fördel eller nackdel med att använda sig av tidsserieförutsägelser inom den aktuella problemdomänen.

eHealth Strategies in countries have shown a trend that countries are moving to Electronic Health Records(EHR). EHR implementation is expected to produce benefits for patients, professionals, organisations, and the population as a whole. The use of some format of an Electronic Health Record is used by many countries and others are in the implementation or planning phases. South Africa has kicked of the project to implement a national EHR as part of the national eHealth Strategy. This study aims to analyse the key success factors from other EHR implementation projects and evaluate if South Africa is ready to implement an EHR.

The study of organisations’ information security cultures has attracted scholars as well as healthcare services industry to research the topic and find appropriate tools and approaches to develop a positive culture. The vast majority of studies in Saudi national health services are on the use of technology to protect and secure health services information. On the other hand, there is a lack of research on the role and impact of an organisation’s cultural dimensions on information security. This research investigated and analysed the role and impact of cultural dimensions on information security in Saudi Arabia health service. Hypotheses were tested and two surveys were carried out in order to collect data and information from three major hospitals in Saudi Arabia (SA). The first survey identified the main cultural-dimension problems in SA health services and developed an initial information security culture framework model. The second survey evaluated and tested the developed framework model to test its usefulness, reliability and applicability. The model is based on human behaviour theory, where the individual’s attitude is the key element of the individual’s intention to behave as well as of his or her actual behaviour. The research identified a set of cultural and sub-cultural dimensions in SA health information security and services.

Shared electronic health record (EHR) systems constitute an important Telemedicine and e-Health application. Successful implementation of shared health records calls for a satisfactory level of security. This is invariably achieved through applying and enforcing strict, and often quite complicated, rules and procedures in the access process. For this reason, information security strategy for EHR systems is needed to be in place. This research reviewed the definition of different terms that related to electronically stored and shared health records and delineated related information security terms leading to a definition of an information security strategy. This research also made a contribution to understanding information security strategy as a significant need in EHR systems. A major case study of the National Programme for IT (NPfIT) in England is used to be the container of other two sub-case studies in two different Acute Trusts. Different research methods used: participant observation and networking, semi-structured interviews, and documentary analysis. This research aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding to the information security strategy of England’s EHR system by presenting its different information security issues such as consent mechanisms, access control, sharing level, and related legal and regulatory documents. Six factors that influence the building of an information security strategy in EHR systems, were identified in this research, political, social, financial, technical, clinical and legal. Those factors are considered to be driving the strategy directly or indirectly. EHR systems are technical-clinical systems, but having other factors (than technical and clinical) that drive this technical-clinical system is a big concern. This research makes a significant contribution by identifying these factors, and in addition, this research shows not only how these factors can influence building the information security strategy, but also how they can influence each other. The study of the mutual influence among the six factors led to the argument that the most powerful factor is the political factor, as it directly or indirectly influences the remaining five factors. Finally, this research proposes guidelines for building an information security strategy in EHR systems. These guidelines are presented and discussed in the form of a framework. This framework was designed after literature analysis and after completing the whole research journey. It provides a tool to help putting the strategy in line by minimising the influence of various factors that may steer the strategy to undesirable directions.

eHealth Strategies in countries have shown a trend that countries are moving to Electronic Health Records(EHR). EHR implementation is expected to produce benefits for patients, professionals, organisations, and the population as a whole. The use of some format of an Electronic Health Record is used by many countries and others are in the implementation or planning phases. South Africa has kicked of the project to implement a national EHR as part of the national eHealth Strategy. This study aims to analyse the key success factors from other EHR implementation projects and evaluate if South Africa is ready to implement an EHR.

A Thesis submitted to The University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Medicine. / BACKGROUND: In order to improve the quality and efficacy of healthcare while reducing the overall cost to deliver that healthcare, it has become increasingly important to manage utilization of services for populations of patients. Healthcare systems are aggressively working to identify patients at risk for hospital readmissions. Although readmission rates have been studied before, parameters for identifying patients at risk for readmission appear to vary depending the patient population. We will examine existing Electronic Health Record (EHR) data at Banner Health to establish what parameters are clinical indicators for readmission risk. Three conditions were identified by the CMS to have high and costly readmissions rates; heart failure (HF), acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and pneumonia. This study will focus on attempting to determine the primary predictive variables for these three conditions in order to have maximum impact on cost savings. METHODS: A literature review was done and 68 possible risk variables were identified. Of these, 30 of the variables were identifiable within the EHR system. Inclusion criteria for individual patient records are that they had an index admission secondary to AMI, heart failure, or pneumonia and that they had a subsequent readmission within 30 days of the index admission. Pediatric populations were not studied since they have unique factors for readmission that are not generalizable. Logistics regression was applied to all data including data with missing data rows. This allowed all coefficients to be interpreted for significance. This model was termed the full model. Variables that were determined to be insignificant were subsequently removed to create a new reduced model. Chi square testing was then done to compare the reduced model to the full model to determine if any significant differences existed between the two. RESULTS: Several variables were determined to be the significant predictors of readmission. The final reduced model had 19 predictors. When analyzed using ROC analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.64. CONCLUSION: Several variables were identified that could be significant contributors to readmission risk. The final model had an AUC on it ROC of 0.64 suggesting that it would only have poor to moderate clinical value for predicting readmission.