Journal of Health Information Management
Year:2011 | Volume:7 | Issue:4 (16)|Papers Count:16

Introduction: In the near future, no factor like Information Technology (IT) is able to change the structure of organization. In this research the effect of IT on triple dimensions of organization structure includes complexity, formalization, and centralization was evaluated.Methods: In this cross-sectional and analytical-descriptive research, staffs from in ten study hospitals that had administrative posts and were IT specialists were studied. These ten hospitals were selected randomly. All data are collected by observation, interview and questionnaire (Rabinz and CSF). We analyze data using STATA (900), Pearson correlation linear and multiple regression tests.Results: There was significant relationship between the overall status of IT and centralization (P = 0.01) and formalization (P=0.06). In most of the cases the five dimensions of IT (including network, hardware, software, staff and utilization) had significant effect on utilization with formalization from the triple dimensions of organization structure.Conclusion: Though the influence of IT was not in a way that leads to fundamental change in the structure of the studied hospitals but it seems that IT had significant effect on utilization with formalization dimensions of organization structure.

Introduction: In medical education, ambulatory medicine education especially emergency is the most important part of medical education. The aim of this research was to study medical students' information needs seeking behavior pattern. We expect this study impacts on the clinical education quality, the recognition of students' education needs and better management of patients by medical students.Methods: This descriptive and analytic study examines the information needs of interns in the Emergency departments of teaching hospitals of Iran medical sciences university in 2008. Questionnaires and observations were used to collect data from seventy medical students. Observations and questionnaires were used. Reliability was assessed and there was found high reliability (0.80). Chi-square and two-tailed and bi variation correlation tests were used to investigate significant associations among the data.Results: There was significant association between the diagnosis and treatment information needs (P<0.001, Coefficient=0.576).The most and the least information needs of the students were laboratories test results (84.3%) and dead persons transfer (1.4%). Medical students were most likely to rely on patient, patients file, colleagues and printed sources. Significantly medical student were likely to pursue needs related to treatment with printed sources (P=0.01).Conclusion: A few organizational or management questions were asked. The students did not pay attention to legal issues. Many medical students prefer to obtain information from resources that are convenient, easy to use and reliable. It is recommended to develop programs about importance of legal issues and organizational information in curriculum and for educational programs to promote evidence- based decision making among medical students.

Introduction: Health care systems in disaster management encounter with the unique challenges which including the triage, treatment large numbers of victims and their information management. To ensure proper documentation of victims as a prelude to information management and effective triage and treatment, an appropriate and applicable medical record is required in a disaster. Because ordinary medical records which have been used in patients would not be effective in emergencies and accidents and their applications would be sophisticated. So, the aim of this research was to design the disaster-victim medical record to document and triage victims easily during disaster.Methods: This research was an applied descriptive study Source of information was libraries and accepted articles in indexed journals. A survey from organizations correspondent to address the disaster victims have indicated that there was no a medical records in this regard at that time. After identification of organizations responsible for collecting and organizing the information of victims worldwide and collection of their experiences and required data from literature, the essential parameters for the medical record in disaster was extracted from American and European models.Results: According to national standards and conditions and in collaboration with Isfahan Disaster Management and Medical Emergency Center, the proper and final pattern of medical form for victims of disaster was designed based on two physical features and information elements.Conclusion: Medical record in disaster relief operations should be simple and useful, but currently used medical record in hospitals is not appropriate in this regard. The proposed model is a simple and proper form for documentation of victims and quick reference for accessing clinical, administrative and statistics information in disaster.

Introduction: Using hospital databases is extremely depended on an accurate classification that is based on clinical coding. We aimed to determine the validity of procedural coding in teaching hospitals.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 246 medical files from Kashan hospitals was selected randomly, in 2007. Information regarding procedures, coders' information, and documentation principles were recorded using a valid checklist. The procedures were re-corded. Accuracy of coding was determined by agreement between original codes and recoded ones. We analyzed the data using SPSS through X2, fisher test, OR, and CI 95% for OR.Results: There were 46 (18.7%) errors in procedure coding. Using the coding book significantly accompanied with more code errors; however, there were fewer errors in records which coders checked codes with tabular index. Documenting more information decreases the errors (not significant). There were fewer errors in readable records. In addition, clear abbreviations reduced errors.Conclusion: We can trust on procedure databases. Better documenting the procedure details and factors related to coders could improve the quality of procedure coding and databases.

Introduction: One of the most fundamental duties of Health Information Management (HIM) professionals is to maintain health Information about their patients. This duty is imposed explicitly by state and federal statutes and regulations as well as by accreditation standards. Also one of the most important responsibilities of HIM professionals is keeping confidential health information out of the hands of unauthorized users through appropriate policies and procedures, facility and space planning, information systems design and selection, staff education, and other measures. The purpose of this research was to study the health information disclosure process in Isfahan hospitals.Methods: In this descriptive, cross sectional study, the medical record departments of 30 hospitals in Isfahan city were enrolled. A six-section checklist was designed for data collection .The researcher observed and interviewed with medical record staff and complete the checklist. The collected dates were analyzed with SPSS software.Results: 100% of medical record practitioners are alert in regard to health information disclosure laws. When it is needed to use the patients' record in court, all pages of patients file were numbered and copied in 100% and 92.3% of cases. In 69.2% of cases the attorney of patient is authorized to access the patients' record, if he or she was authenticated by the patient. In 76.9% of cases there was no guideline for deliver the patient record to another health care facility.Conclusion: HIM professionals have important responsibility in health care facilities to protect the confidential health information; also they must earn the regulations of disclosure of health information and perform them in their hospitals.

Introduction: Netiquette is network etiquette or the etiquette of cyberspace. Recognizing organizational culture and its relationship with the netiquette offers strategies applied in order to communication development and creating learning organizations through the internet for senior management. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between organizational culture and netiquette among academic staff in IUMS.Methods: In this correlation descriptive study, 138 out of 594 faculty members of IUMS was selected randomly using simple stratified sampling method, in 2008. Data collected using two; Organizational Culture's questionnaire and Netiquette Culture's questionnaire with 97% and 89% reliability. Ultimately, SPSS15 was used for the statistical analysis of the data.Results: There was no significant relationship between netiquette and organizational culture of the faculty members. As an illustration, sample members' favoring the team, focusing on details, seeking stability and courage outcomes varied in terms of their sex. In addition, regarding achievements and courage varied significantly concerning their employment record. Finally, members' viewpoint about innovation, favoring the team, risk taking, focusing on details, seeking stability, and courage outcomes was different significantly based on their educational certificate and academic rank. There was no significant relationship between netiquette and demographic variables.Conclusion: Overall, organizationally culture and netiquette can be improved by engaging members in activities requiring cooperative thinking and exchange of knowledge; for the promotion of netiquette, the lows of netiquette must be taught, as well as, facility communication among members base on custom and traditions which must be train in Isfahan Medical university and in other government offices trough out the country.

Introduction: Hospitals libraries play an important role in the patients' care and education .as well as their treatment. Considering that compliance standards by the libraries can improve and promote information services ,the aim of this study was to evaluate the standards of hospital libraries of three university in Iran according to "standards for hospital libraries 2002" and "standard of educational and treatment center library collection".Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study 35 hospital libraries from Iran, Tehran and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences were studied. Data were collected by questionnaire which validity and reliability was confirmed by professionals. Obtained data analyzed by Excel software.Results: Over 50% of hospital libraries have personnel who were below the standards levels. Only 29% of library managers were standards regarding their educational level and academic disipline. None of the libraries were standard according to the book collection. Regarding hours of presenting and providing services to different user groups, a few percent of the libraries were standard. 25.8% of the libraries have buildings which have been designed for using as a library. 25.8% of libraries have construction that had already been designed for libraries.Conclusion: Most of the hospital libraries are below the standard level. Overall, the status of hospital libraries was not appropriate enough in comparison with standards and the library managers should pay more attention to improve the situation of the libraries.

Introduction: Considering the increasing rate of scientific sources deposited on the Web, it was a motivating factor for researchers to examine citation impact of these digital sources in the scholarly communication cycle and hence new research area known as "Webometrics" has been developed. One of the key applications of Webometrics is "Web citations" analysis and their comparison with "traditional citations" such as ISI. The current study intends to determine the utility of Webometrics methods and tools in the evaluation of medical sciences research.Methods: 350 English research journal articles indexed by ISI in 2004 in general/internal medicine were selected. We searched articles' title in the ISI Web of Science (WoS) as well as Google Scholar (GS) to obtain number of cited items for each article. Moreover, at the journal level we conducted same strategy for 56 Persian language medical journal titles. Statistical correlation tests and descriptive statistics were applied to examine, interpret and compare ISI citation and Web citation patterns.Results: We found significant correlation between ISI and Web citations from GS targeting the sample of 350 medical sciences articles. Analyzing the descriptive statistics showed that number, mean and median of citations to the articles from GS is remarkably more .than ISI citations. Number, mean and median of GS citations for the 56 Persian language medical sciences journals were remarkably higher than ISI citations (301, 5.4, 4vs. 99, 1.8, 0, respectively <0.05).Conclusion: The significant correlation between ISI and GS citations suggests that Web environment can be useful source of information for research evaluation. Comparison between descriptive statistics for general/internal medicine journal articles and Persian medical sciences journals also indicate that from Web environment we can extract the greater numbers and types of citations targeting medical science articles than ISI database which their citation impact have previously been invisible in the medical sciences research communication.

Introduction: Ergonomics is the science of improvement of the work environment, job and equipment and adapting them to the human capabilities and limitations. Observing ergonomic principles of computer application is essential for the computer users. Lack of attention to these principles would decrease efficiency and cause irreparable somatic complications. The present study assesses the knowledge of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences Librarians about ergonomics principles of computer application.Methods: In this cross-sectional analytic study, the study population was all the librarians (n=77) who worked in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences at the time of the study. The data was gathered using a knowledge measurement researcher-made questionnaire, consist of 28 questions which its content validity were checked and revised. The data were analyzed by t-test and ANOVA.Results: Mean score of correct answers to the questions was reported as 5.65±4.45 of 18. There was no significant relationship between the total questionnaire score and the variables sex, educational level, type of education, employment status, educational course for the proper use of the computer and the number of hours of computer use per day. However there was significant relationship between total score and the study for the proper use of computer.Conclusion: The findings indicated that the knowledge of the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences librarians about ergonomic principles of computer application was low. This can be due to disregard of authorities, librarians or both of them that it can be harmful to their health and the University should also pay the heavy cost of reduced staff productivity. Therefore, it is recommended that the responsible organizations promote the librarians' knowledge about ergonomic principles of computer application through training courses, conferences, preparing brochures. It is also recommended that librarians expand their studies on this topic.

Introduction: After human resource training, research considers as one of the pillars of cultural, social and economic development and university is the main basis of research system. Now, there is a great gap between the scientific products of Iran and many other countries in the world. Thus, we attempted to investigate research barriers from the viewpoint of faculty members of medical and paramedical schools of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences.Methods: This descriptive-cross sectional study carried out by using a questionnaire in 2007. Validity of questionnaire was tested by content validity method and its reliability was evaluated by test-retest method. The questionnaire was given directly to all faculty members (n=137) and finally, 83 persons answered. Data were analyzed by Excel software and descriptive statistics.Results: The majority of faculty members (36.8%) implied that personal factors, as research barriers, are ineffective and from their viewpoint other factors of research barriers that have had high level influence was as following: 31.5% organizational factors, 27.7% economical factors, 25.8% supplies factors and 22.5% social factors.Conclusion: Considering the results of present study and the importance of research in the development of a country, research authorities should pay attention to the following items for eliminating the barriers of research: reform the process of investigation and approval of research projects and articles', providing research facilities and possibilities, reduction of teaching hours and support team researches.

Review of studies indicates that activities related to the development of science, technology and innovation (STI) considered as the main propellants of productivity and economic growth which could improve the economic development and social welfare. Accordingly, governments and international organizations always consider the evaluation and assessment of science, technology and innovation by using different methods and in different dimensions, as an important agenda for their policy and action.This paper intends relying to library techniques and by using documents and existing evidences, to identify the role of scientometrics indicators in international STI manuals. Furthermore, conduct a comparison study to identify similarities and differences of three international set of indicators is used by Institute for Scientific Information (ISI), Oslo and Frascati Manuals of STI assessment.The Findings of this research indicate that in all of aforementioned manuals, bibliometric and scientometrics indicators have an important role. The results could open new horizons for professionals in the field of library and information science and provides their essential needs to log in to the issues.

Introduction: Guidelines and rules in the field of ethics is important to patients, but these rules entitled "Patients' Rights Legislation" are not used practically and coherently in Iran's rules. The purpose of this study was to determine the patients' awareness hospitalized in training hospitals of Isfahan city about patients' rights legislation.Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in the fourth quarter of 2006, in 8 training hospitals in Isfahan city. The knowledge of hospitalized patients regarding their rights legislation was evaluated by interviewers through interviews and completing the relevant checklist. The checklist was prepared by the study of library formulation and its formal validity and reliability was confirmed by experts in this field. The contribution ratio of each hospital from requested 385 patients was determined regarding to the number of active beds and mean of patient's hospitalization period during study. Obtained data analyzed by SPSS software.Results: Over 50 percent of patients were not aware about the patients' rights legislation. This lack of knowledge, specially was about the rights to transfer the patient during treatment to other medical centers (which requires specialized medical services care), the right to allow or not allow the use of medical information for their own case of matters, secrecy Physician and treatment team, as well as confidentiality of medical information privacy and the need for the patient by the hospital.Conclusion: The findings of present study have indicated that most of the patients have not proper knowledge about their rights of legislation, which emphasized the importance of patients education in this regard.

Introduction: Undesirable exploitation of natural resources, resource shortage and increased hospital costs has resulted in increase in the hospital expenditure over revenue or made costs scale heavier than the income scale. The present research was conducted to study the effect of combining hospital wards on current expenses of Bou Ali Medical & Teaching Center by the means of increasing the efficacy of hospital wards.Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in the male surgical and internal ward and female obstetrics ward of Bou Ali Teaching Hospital in Tehran, with an average annual bed occupancy ratio of below 16%. The information form which validity was approved by professionals was used for data collection. Data analyzed by Wilcoxon test and descriptive statistics indices.Results: The average of ongoing expenditures in 2007 and 2008, before the combination of hospital wards was 31393.2 IRR and after the combination it was 1957558.6 IRR. There was significant relationship between the costs of manpower, consumed materials and supplies and the current and general costs of hospital in the two past periods before and after the combination (P<0.0001).Conclusion: Due to the increase of expenses, reaching a maximum production with minimum expenses is compulsory. In the novel challenge, the strategy of combining the resource and efficient exploitation of present resources could help hospital management in preventing resource loss, increase of expenses and financial crises.