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Ebook: Reference Information Model for Clinical Laboratories
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It is old news that we are in a new information age! And it should come as no surprise that we need new information to help us change our old ways. As clinical laboratory scientists, physicians, and technologists, we need new ideas, processes, tools, and technology to transform our healthcare laboratories from production testing operations into information management organisations. Our future is providing diagnostic and treatment information, regardless where testing is performed and who performs the measurements. To facilitate the transformation to an information management organisation, this publication describes a reference information model for healthcare laboratories. This model allows us to gain new insights into our operations and organisations and helps us to better define and understand our critical information processes. Along with the model, they also provide the computer tools to support that transformation and facilitate the new information management organisation. By coupling theory with technology, they show us the nature of the new organization and start us on the path to the future.
It is old news that we are in a new information age! And it should come as no surprise that we need new information to help us change our old ways. As clinical laboratory scientists, physicians, and technologists, we need new ideas, processes, tools, and technology to transform our health care laboratories from production testing operations into information management organizations. Our future is providing diagnostic and treatment information, regardless where testing is performed and who performs the measurements.
To facilitate the transformation into an information management organization, Dr. Goldschmidt and his colleagues describe a reference information model for health care laboratories. This model allows us to gain new insights into our operations and organizations and helps us to better define and understand our critical information processes. Along with the model, they also provide the computer tools to support that transformation and facilitate the new information management organization. By coupling theory with technology, they show us the nature of the new organization and start us on the path to the future.
Many of you know that Holland was the center of new information in the golden age of world exploration. This new information was in the form of maps, such as those produced by Blaeu, Hondius, and Janssonius (among others). These maps were the standards for the world because of the knowledge they contained, the accuracy of the information, and the beauty of the presentation. Now, in the new information age, we have a different kind of map from Dr. Goldschmidt and colleagues - a map that explores new ground, leads us into a new world of information management processes and systems, and provides guidance for our journey to the future. This map carries on a long Dutch tradition of excellence and leadership in exploring the New World.
James O. Westgard Ph.D.
Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
University of Wisconsin
Madison, WI 53792, USA