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Harnessing the power of an intelligent health environment in cancer control.

In 1971, when Congress declared "war on cancer," the public's perception was driven by an image of a single cure for a single disease. What researchers have learned since that time is that cancer is a formidable enemy made up of more than 100 different disease etiologies. The war on cancer became a war of the 21st century; a war to be fought on multiple fronts against a diffuse enemy and for which prevention was the most judicious path to victory. To fight this new war on cancer, the National Cancer Institute must seek to harness the power of health informatics to create a supportive environment for transforming science, delivering safe and patient-centric health care, and creating an environment of personal empowerment in public health. Three different types of health informatics applications are implicated: (a) applications in bioinformatics, which are intended to revitalize the engine of scientific discovery; (b) applications in medical informatics, which will create a safer and more effective environment for delivery; and (c) applications in consumer informatics, which will enable individuals to advance the charge of their own ongoing health care over the course of their lives. To keep these applications on track, health care administrators must take a sociotechnical approach to implementation. The new systems must be built into the health care environment in such a way that they support human capacities, provide failsafe backups in the face of cognitive and physical limitations, and support continuous quality improvement.

Computational Biology↗

Craniofacial imaging informatics and technology development.

PURPOSE: 'Craniofacial imaging informatics' refers to image and related scientific data from the dentomaxillofacial complex, and application of 'informatics techniques' (derived from disciplines such as applied mathematics, computer science and statistics) to understand and organize the information associated with the data. METHOD: Major trends in information technology determine the progress made in craniofacial imaging and informatics. These trends include industry consolidation, disruptive technologies, Moore's law, electronic atlases and on-line databases. Each of these trends is explained and documented, relative to their influence on craniofacial imaging. RESULTS: Craniofacial imaging is influenced by major trends that affect all medical imaging and related informatics applications. The introduction of cone beam craniofacial computed tomography scanners is an example of a disruptive technology entering the field. An important opportunity lies in the integration of biologic knowledge repositories with craniofacial images. CONCLUSION: The progress of craniofacial imaging will continue subject to limitations imposed by the underlying technologies, especially imaging informatics. Disruptive technologies will play a major role in the evolution of this field.

Databases as Topic↗

Hickam 2000: the maturation of, and linkages between, medical informatics and bioinformatics.

I have always been infatuated with computers and convinced of their potential for solving problems in biologic research and clinical care. In the 1960s I thought we could use the computer to predict the shape of macromolecules from their chemical formulas and fundamental physical chemical principles. However, with the computers of the 1960s that was a fantasy. So I focused on the use of computers to manage medical record content and to assist with clinical care. The Electronic Medical Record (EMR) we began developing in 1972 with 33 diabetes patients now carries nearly 300 million separate results for more than 3 million patients. The data include lab and other diagnostic studies, dictated notes, orders, encounter records, radiology images, electrocardiograph tracings, and motion cardiac echoes, and the care provider at Indiana University and Wishard Hospital is accessed 10 million times per year. We have also agitated for standards to make the collection of these data easier. This work has become part of a field called medical informatics. In the meantime, the application of computers to biology has rapidly matured into a field called bioinformatics, and researchers in this field now provide annotated databases for many categories of molecules, programs for "matching" newly discovered genomic sequences with previously studied sequences, and systems for storing and processing massive amounts of genomic and molemic data. They have developed sophisticated methods for predicting the shape of biologic macromolecules and other important insights about biology and evolution. Medical informatics and bioinformatics intersect at many points. The most important intersection is between electronic medical records and the human specimen databases that can link genotype to the phenotype, as needed, to unravel polygenetic disease causality. The National Cancer Institute is embarking on an intriguing effort to use EMRs (phenotype) to link to paraffin blocks (genotype) in pathology laboratories where opportunities for cancer genomic discovery are open. We will participate in this effort and look forward to bending the EMR we developed for clinical use to bioinformatics uses as well.

Clinical Medicine↗

Design of a virtual reality laboratory for interdisciplinary medical application.

The Department of Medical Informatics of the University of Goettingen sets up a medical interdisciplinary Virtual Reality (VR) laboratory. The interdisciplinary approach for the design of the laboratory is based on a systematic, technical and application-orientated analysis. Its result led to the decision for a CAVE-like multi wall stereo projection (MWSP) system with networked workstation hardware. Within the boundary of an exemplary evaluation of the laboratory, its technical specifications and the validity in neuropsychological tests are supposed to be improved. Both techniques, Head Mounted Display (HMD) as well as multi wall stereo projection (MWSP) systems have a high degree of immersion. MWSP systems have a lower ratio of simulator sickness and a good visual fidelity. They can also be used as a multi-user environment. Networked workstations and high-end-computers are compared in view of their costs and possible expansibility.

Computer Simulation↗

Recognizing nursing informatics.

In our climate of economic uncertainty, readily accessible and reliable information is essential for cost effective decision making and forward planning in an efficient and effective manner. Information systems are widely used in the business industries to achieve the above. The state hospitals in South Africa have also realized the need for functional information systems. Where does this leave the division of nursing? This division usually comprises at least one third of the hospital establishment with very specific and often complex needs. The nurse managers at all levels have to plan, predict, forecast, monitor, and control in a similar manner to the business industries. What makes their decisions more critical is that they are dealing with human lives. A nursing informatics section with specially trained nurses will have to become an integral part of nursing, to enable nursing to keep abreast of the increasing demand for accurate and timely information for effective decision making. This paper will evaluate the importance of recognizing the need for an informatics section to evolve within the division of nursing, rather than within the general department of medical informatics.

Attitude to Computers↗

Introducing computer literacy skills for physicians.

Computers are integral to medical practice, education, and research. While medical students learn computer skills during their training, many practicing physicians do not have the same computer experience. To familiarize this group with the exciting developments in medical informatics, the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library and Department of Computer Medicine at the George Washington University Medical Center organized a workshop "Introducing Your Office Computer!" for attending physicians. The workshop featured a short lecture/video presentation on computer applications in medicine followed by a "computer fair" of five computer applications. Eleven physicians attended the workshop. Feedback was very positive; many called later to request more detailed instructions on using the programs demonstrated. It was a valuable experience for the staff, and new bridges were built between departments and clients.

Computer User Training↗

Distributed user interfaces for clinical ubiquitous computing applications.

OBJECTIVES: Ubiquitous computing with multiple interaction devices requires new interface models that support user-specific modifications to applications and facilitate the fast development of active workspaces. METHODS: We have developed NOSTOS, a computer-augmented work environment for clinical personnel to explore new user interface paradigms for ubiquitous computing. NOSTOS uses several devices such as digital pens, an active desk, and walk-up displays that allow the system to track documents and activities in the workplace. RESULTS: We present the distributed user interface (DUI) model that allows standalone applications to distribute their user interface components to several devices dynamically at run-time. This mechanism permit clinicians to develop their own user interfaces and forms to clinical information systems to match their specific needs. We discuss the underlying technical concepts of DUIs and show how service discovery, component distribution, events and layout management are dealt with in the NOSTOS system. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that DUIs--and similar network-based user interfaces--will be a prerequisite of future mobile user interfaces and essential to develop clinical multi-device environments.

Computer Communication Networks↗

Advances in biomedical informatics for the management of cancer.

Increased access to health care, and advances in education and technology have resulted in a larger proportion of the population having longer life expectancy. The strong correlation between age and cancer has resulted in a major healthcare problem for this century, and until recently cancer has defied any long-lasting cure. However, progress, especially in the field of biomedical informatics, promises a successful prediction and possibly a permanent cure for cancer within the next two decades. Biomedical informatics-with its roots in computer science, biomedical engineering, biostatistics, and mathematics-helps to bring the patient closer to the physician, facilitates access to specialist information and knowledge bases across the world, and makes it possible to identify genetic expression profiles for malignant or cancerous cells. This paper reviews the new research findings in biomedical informatics, working toward the ultimate goal of successfully predicting cancer, solving complex problems in prevention and treatment of cancer, and perhaps completely curing the scourge of cancer.

Biometry↗

Origins of medical informatics.

Medical informatics is a new knowledge domain of computer and information science, engineering and technology in all fields of health and medicine, including research, education and practice. Medical informatics has evolved over the past 30 years as medicine learned to exploit the extraordinary capabilities of the electronic digital computer to better meet its complex information needs. The first articles on this subject appeared in the 1950s, the number of publications rapidly increased in the 1960s and medical informatics was identified as a new specialty in the 1970s.

History, 20th Century↗

[Medical informatics education at medical schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina].

AIM: Standardization of education process and almost every aspect of life in EU moved the authors of this paper to evaluate medical informatics education at medical schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A very complex political structure and existence of two entities, one district and ten cantons in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina caused great differences in the curricula, teaching methods and quality of acquired knowledge among medical schools in the country. Also, on the example of the teaching process at the Medical School, University of Sarajevo, the authors propose a future united and integrated system in the area. METHOD: Method of the study is descriptive, comparing education in medical informatics at five B&H medical schools. Over 500 students answered questionnaires designed at medical schools in Sarajevo and Tuzla. The questions tackled the contents of the subject of medical informatics, the possibility of acquiring knowledge from both practical and theoretic lessons, "good" and "bad" sides of the curricula as well as students' computer literacy. RESULTS: The subject of medical informatics is being taught in at least 3-4 different ways. Medical schools in Banja Luka and Foca/Srbinje are under a strong influence of the University of Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro; the teaching staff in Mostar are from Croatia; the University of Tuzla has its own way; and Medical School in Sarajevo maintains high quality values and principles. Things and events that distinguish the Medical School, University of Sarajevo is the fact that it is the only medical school in Bosnia and Herzegovina which has a web site of of the Department of Medical Informatics, organized a number of events including a distance learning course, and has a highly competent teaching staff. Medical School in Sarajevo is the oldest medical school in Bosnia and Herzegovina established in 1944. As a required subject, medical informatics was introduced in the academic year 1992/1993, and it is the only medical school in Bosnia and Herzegovina where medical informatics is taught in two semesters, second and eleventh. DISCUSSION: Three important areas are discussed: the quality of education in secondary schools should be improved; the lack of multimedia equipment, good LAN, high-speed connection to Internet and well organized web design, and issues related to maintenance of equipment; and students should have free access to computer rooms to enable them to extend their knowledge in spare time; general information about health system should be available to students to allow them to require the role and importance of medical informatics in "real life". Naturally, we raise the question of unique and systematic medical informatics education in the whole country, irrespective of entities, nationality or religion of students. CONCLUSION: Medical informatics education at Medical School, University of Sarajevo, is based on the same concept as on prestigious universities all over the world and in accordance with recommendations of the working groups on education of EFMI and IMIA. Other medical schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina should employ the same methodology and system of work in order to have standardized education in medical informatics and to achieve high quality in education. To enable us to follow the European and global achievements in this area, the power of fact should predominate in the education system as well as in the health system.

Bosnia and Herzegovina↗

Macroscopic cryosectioning: a simple new method for producing digital, three-dimensional databases in veterinary anatomy.

Using a new method derived from the 'visible human project' (Spitzer et al., 1996, Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 3, 118-130), we were able to establish a simple and low-cost tool which produces high-quality cryosections of macroscopic specimens down to 1-mm slice thickness, based on a milling process. For the first time, a macroscopic cryotome is available to veterinary anatomists, which can be used on cutting faces up to 25 cm high and 50 cm wide and with a minimal slice thickness of 1 mm without any gap. The method employs a modified wood circular saw. Recording of the cutting faces is carried out 'online' by a high-resolution digital camera. The process has been tested extensively and produces high-quality sections of very hard material (teeth) as well as of very soft tissues (brain). It is now possible in veterinary medicine to provide three-dimensional anatomical databases of high resolution and of tissue-specific colour as an additional tool for high-quality two- and three-dimensional anatomical reconstructions for use in science and education.

Anatomy↗

[Informatics, robotics and medicine].

Information technology is becoming common use in Medicine. Among the numerous applications are data processing, image analysis, 3D reconstruction, telemedicine, to mention only few of them. The interest of computers in surgical research and development is lesser known. Two examples are given: computer aided conception and simulation of physiologic systems. Robotics has been introduced more recently. There are three types of robotics corresponding to three types of use: targetting used by neural surgeons to localize tumors or anatomical structures, visualization used by general surgeons to hold and mobilize laparoscopes, instrumentation introduced more recently by cardiac surgeons to perform totally endoscopic cardiac operations. All these techniques open new ways for tomorrow "Instrumental Medicine".

Image Processing, Computer-Assisted↗