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INFORMATICS

Mark Quirk, EdD and Richard Usatine, MD (Family Medicine Clerkship/Post Clerkship Workgroup), Rick Ricer, MD (Preclerkship Collaborative Workgroup), and Ardis Davis, MSW (FMCR Project Manager), with input from STFM Group on Evidence-Based Medicine.

OVERVIEW

Medical informatics is the scientific discipline that promotes the effective presentation, analysis, management, and application of scientific information in health care for the purposes of clinical problem-solving and health promotion. The British Medical Informatics Society defines it as ". . . the understanding, skills, and tools that enable the sharing and use of information to deliver healthcare and promote health." The American Medical Informatics Association states that a common theme in medical informatics has been the emphasis on technology as an integral tool to help organize, analyze, manage, and use information. The discipline of medical informatics links closely with the field of evidence-based medicine, which emphasizes the judicious use of best evidence to promote effective and efficient health care. Medical informatics involves mastery of information to enhance the practice of evidence-based medicine (EBM).

TOPIC LEARNING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
(Organized by ACGME Competencies)

The starred (*) objectives are ones that are most appropriately addressed during the later stages of medical education (i.e., more suitable for more experienced students and clinical rotations).

Patient Care

GOAL: Students will use technology, available electronic information, and population data to maximize quality of patient care.

OBJECTIVES: Students will be able to:

  • * Use Web-based and PDA technologies to support patient education and disease prevention activities.
  • Integrate EBM data into a biopsychosocial approach to problem solving.
  • * Interpret a patient's test results with an understanding of the characteristics of the test (e.g., PPV, NPV) and the person (Family Hx, Social Hx).

Medical Knowledge

GOAL: Students will find and critically appraise the best evidence to make informed, up-to-date clinical decisions.

OBJECTIVES: Students will be able to:

  • Review Web site and identify appropriate resources based on established criteria for filtering quality.
  • Use search engines to identify EBM resources to answer clinical questions.
  • Select the EBM site(s) most appropriate for answering different types of clinical questions.
  • Analyze research designs and sampling techniques.
  • Interpret statistical significance and probability.
  • * Become proficient in the use of handheld computers to access information at the point of contact with patients.

Practice-Based Learning and Improvement

GOAL: Students will engage in systematic reflection of current practice in relation to the broader community.

OBJECTIVES: Students will be able to:

  • Assemble and analyze the health of a community, which includes census, vital statistics, and public health data.
  • * Use a Quality Improvement protocol within a practice to understand the utility of the instrument.

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

GOAL: Students will utilize technology to enhance communication with patients and peers.

OBJECTIVES: Students will:

  • Communicate with patients, students, staff, and faculty via e-mail and listservs.
  • Make professional presentations using PowerPoint, the Internet, and other technologies.
  • Counsel patients about selection of appropriate Web sites, and caution patients about the potential for misuse of personal information they give to Web sites.

Professionalism

GOAL: Students will establish and adhere to high personal standards in the use of information technology for learning and patient care.

OBJECTIVES: Students will be able to:

  • Learn to assess, evaluate, and use information resources for lifelong learning (including commitment to increasing computer skills).
  • Use appropriate security procedures to respect patient confidentiality with regard to accessing and communicating patient information.

Systems-Based Practice

GOAL: Students will appraise and utilize the best practice guidelines based on the most current available information.

OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to:

  • * Develop a critical approach to making health care decisions for individuals and groups by using quality indicators (e.g., USPSTF, HEDIS), community and national health data, guidelines (e.g., AHRQ, managed care), drug formularies, cost data, and EBM applications (on the Internet or PDA).
  • Use the National Guideline Clearinghouse(TM) as a resource for finding and evaluating evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.
    http://www.guidelines.gov/

EDUCATIONAL METHODS AND RESOURCES

Teaching Strategies

  • A number of articles have been written about teaching with information technology. Some involve teaching at the point of care and others rely on workshops, lectures, or small groups. Here is a selection of available articles:
    • Bertling CJ, Simpson DE, Hayes AM, Torre D, Brown DL, Schubot DB. Personal digital assistants herald new approaches to teaching and evaluation in medical education. WMJ. 2003;102(2):46-50.
      Abstract at PubMed
    • Fischer S, Stewart TE, Mehta S, Wax R, Lapinsky SE. Handheld computing in medicine. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2003 Mar-Apr;10(2):139-49.
      Article at PubMed Central.
    • Nesbitt TS, Jerant A, Balsbaugh T. Equipping primary care physicians for the digital age. The Internet, online education, handheld computers, and telemedicine. West J Med. 2002 Mar;176(2):116-20.
      Reference at PubMed.
    • Usatine R. Teaching and Practicing Medicine with Hand-Held Computers. Family Medicine. 2002 Nov/Dec; 34(10):719-20.
      Reference at PubMed
    • Monroe A, Usatine RP. Collaborative Teaching and Learning. Module 9 of the Preceptor Education Project- 2 nd ed., Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, 1999.
      PEP 2
    • Articles from The Teaching Physician, available by subscription through STFM
      • Usatine R. Useful web sites for preceptors, Spring 2002.
      • Usatine R. Information technology and teaching in the office. Using digital photography to teach and learn medicine part I--Introduction, Fall 2002.
      • Usatine R. Using digital photography to teach and learn medicine part II--How to choose a digital camera and asking permission to take a picture. January 2003, 2(1).
      • Usatine R. Using digital photography to teach and learn medicine part III--How to take the best photographs. April 2003, 2(2).
      • Usatine R. Information technology and teaching in the office. The best free on-line journals. July 2003, 2(3).
    • McGowan JJ and Berner ES: Proposed curricular objectives to teach physicians competence in using the World Wide Web.  Acad Med. 2004 79(3): 236-240.
      Abstract at PubMed.
    • Thomas PA, Kern DE. Internet resources for curriculum development in medical education: an annotated bibliography. J Gen Intern Med. 2004 May;19(5 Pt 2):599-605.
      Abstract at PubMed.
  • This field is changing so rapidly that it is best to view search the NLM and the Internet for the newest teaching methods for IT.

Web Sites

PDA Resources

AAFP Technology List

ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

PowerPoint Presentations

General Teaching/Other Faculty Development Resources

 

Revised September 21, 2004

 

For questions or comments, please contact Webmaster or Ardis Davis

This page last updated October 15, 2005