Cheryl Kraemer, Module 1

Cases, M., Albanell, J., Altman, R., Bellazi, R., Boyer, S. & Sanz, F. (2013). Improving data and knowledge management to better integrate health care and research.  Journal of Internal Medicine, 274(4), 321-328.

Why was this article, blog, post, or multimedia chosen?

     I searched Medline CINAHL for healthcare and knowledge management and this article was one of several matches.  I thought it would be interesting because the title talked about integrating health care and research.  While we are constantly hearing about medical research in the news, this article identifies limitations of accessing and interpreting research for healthcare, most importantly, our patients.

What makes it interesting, appropriate, or reputable?

     I found it interesting because it talked about the “silos” in biomedicine that don’t communicate with each other and make it difficult to find and use the information.  I believe we have all seen that with electronic medical records.  It causes information to be fragmented. 

Is it an opinion? Case study? Research study? Product review?

     It is an editorial based on a scientific meeting held in Barcelona, July 2012.   The meeting focused on topics including: new information technology is supporting massive biomedical data management and integrating knowledge management for improving drug research and development.

What was the need, problem, issue or trend addressed in the article, blog, post, or multimedia?

     The issue is that biomedical research is creating new findings faster than they can be translated for use by bedside clinicians.  There are not enough sufficient systems to identify, clarify, and forward the advances to the clinicians in formats that are usable.  Also discussed was having genomic information stored in the medical record instead of in an episode.

What was the solution for which technology had an answer?      

     The solution was “Knowledge Engineering 2.0” which “identifies and makes directly useful the limited set of data and knowledge items that are both reliably proven and clinically actionable”.  The recommendation was also for electronic health record developers, computerized physician order entry designers, and clinical decision support system creators and vendors to connect to platforms or portals with clinically relevant research findings.  It was also suggested to limit the number of independent parties specialized in sustaining the individual lifetime EHR.  

What implications might this have in healthcare delivery?

     Implications for healthcare delivery are being able to identify research that may be useful to a patient using platforms without having to spend hours researching databases and interpreting information.

What did you learn from it that might have application for your practice?

     I am interested in leveraging research to the bedside.  Bedside clinicians should have access to the latest research that will help them safely and efficiently care for their patients.  As a nurse informaticist, my role is to find technology solutions that will allow this to happen and challenge vendors to develop this technology.