1st Edition

The Clinician's Guide to Surviving IT

By Alan Gillies Copyright 2006

    The NHS is currently in the middle of the biggest information technology project in Western Europe, which will fundamentally change the working practices of all NHS staff over the next five years. This book explains to ordinary clinicians why they should be bothered with IT, and what their responsibilities are in making it work. This book provides an enlightening and reassuring read that dispels ignorance and suspicion. The user friendly style is helpful, and friendly panels with tips, warnings, reflective pauses and key points highlight important details. It is also suitable for use as a student textbook. The Clinician's Guide to Surviving I.T. is a must for every doctor, nurse and midwife in the NHS.

    What can informatics do for me? Informatics is important, honest. Why should we care about informatics? Why do our leaders care about informatics? Does it really work? Informatics can improve patient care. Keeping better records. Preventing harm to patients. How having better information available would save lives. Not just about preventing harm. Improvements means change. Informatics can help with professional practice and development. Informatics can help you find information. Resources to help you find information. Informatics can help you present information. Informatics can help you record your professional development. Informatics can facilitate integrated care. Joined up care needs joined up information. A case study from mental health. NPfIT: from jigsaw to trainset: the vision. NPfIT: from jigsaw to trainset: the reality. Conclusions. Informatics can empower patients. The patients: remember them? Facilitating self management. Informing patient decisions: beyond paternalism. What do I need to do for informatics? Be Professional. Your professional responsibilities. Codes of conduct. Record keeping. New consultation skills. What do I need to know? Data Standards. Boring but important. The bits someone else will worry about. The bits you have to worry about. What type of problems are there and how do we spot them? SNOMED: the future (?). Keep information safe. Information governance. Data protection. Confidentiality. Freedom of information. What are the risks? Involve the patients in decision making. Consent. Accessibility to information for patients.

    Biography

    Gillies, Alan