The evaluation of hospital laboratory information management systems based on the standards of the American National Standard Institute.

INTRODUCTION: Nowadays, modern laboratories are faced with a huge volume of information. One of the goals of the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) is to assist in the management of the information generated in the laboratory. This study intends to evaluate the LIMS based on the standards of the American National Standard Institute (ANSI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This research is a descriptive-analytical study, which had been conducted in 2011, on the LIMSs in use, in the teaching and private hospitals in Isfahan. The data collecting instrument was a checklist, which was made by evaluating three groups of information components namely: 'System capabilities', 'work list functions,' and 'reporting' based on LIS8-A. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 20. Data were analyzed using (relative) frequency, percentage. To compare the data the following statistical tests were used: Leven test, t-test, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: The results of the study indicated that the LIMS had a low conformity (30%) with LIS8-A (P = 0.001), with no difference between teaching and private hospitals (P = 0.806). The ANOVA revealed that in terms of conformity with the LIS8-A standard, there was a significant difference between the systems produced by different vendors (P = 0.023). According to the results, a Kowsar system with more than %57 conformity in the three groups of information components had a better conformity to the standard, compared to the other systems. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that none of the LIMSs had a good conformity to the standard. It seems that system providers did not pay sufficient attention to many of the information components required by the standards when designing and developing their systems. It was suggested that standards from certified organizations and institutions be followed in the design and development process of health information systems.

Ophthalmologists' awareness of informed consent and their compliance to its requirements.

INTRODUCTION: Healthcare providers' awareness of laws governing medical documents and patients' health-related information is essential in securing the patients' rights. Given the existing legal problems in documentation of medical record of Consent and Acquittal, we decided to perform an investigation examining the levels of ophthalmologists' awareness of legal requirements for medical record of consent and acquittal and how they complied with such requirements at Feiz Teaching Hospital, Isfahan in the year 2011. METHODOLOGY: This research is an applied, descriptive-analytic one. The research population for awareness measurement includes attending ophthalmologists at Feiz Hospital. Filled-in consent record forms recorded in medical document were used to examine the levels of compliance with legal requirements governing medical record of consent and acquittal. Sampling among the attending ophthalmologists was performed using consensus which included 14 ophthalmologists. The files were samples using the statistical formula, resulting in a sample of 303 files. Data collection tools included a questionnaire and a check list. The questionnaire's reliability was estimated through Cronbach's alpha calculation (0.8); and the check list was completed through a survey among professors of Health Information Technology Management department. In a first step, investigators handed a questionnaire containing 12 items to the ophthalmologists in order to assess their levels of awareness from legal Aspects of medical Informed consent and acquittal, and received the completed questionnaire after answering their possible queries on the issue. In the next step the researchers went to the hospital and evaluated the levels of compliance with legal aspects of medical informed consent and acquittal within the files using a check list and by direct observation. Analytic statistics and SPSS software were used to analyze the data; and Pearson test was applied to evaluate the assumed relationship. The findings were descriptively analyzed, results of which are presented in scored tables (scores 0-50: undesirable; 51-81: relatively desirable; 81 and above: desirable). RESULTS: The ophthalmologists' level of awareness from legal aspects of informed consent and acquittal was 78.72% and their level of compliance with these requirements was 53.17%. There was a weak and reverse correlation between awareness and compliance (r = -0/187, P-value = 0/001). CONCLUSION: There is a significant association between the ophthalmologists' levels of awareness from legal aspects for obtaining informed consent and acquittal and the levels of their compliance with such requirements as seen in completed record of consent and acquittal; but there is low correlation between them.

Job characteristic perception and intrinsic motivation in medical record department staff.

INTRODUCTION: Human resources are key factors in service organizations like hospitals. Therefore, motivating human recourses to achieve the objectives of an organization is important. Job enrichment is a strategy used to increase job motivation in staffs. The goal of the current study is to determine the relationship between job characteristics and intrinsic motivation in medical record staff in hospitals related to Medical Science University in Isfahan in 2011-2012 academic year. METHOD: The type of the study is descriptive and corelational of multi variables. The population of the study includes all the medical record staffs of medical record department working in Medical Science hospitals of Isfahan. One hundred twentyseven subjects were selected by conducting a census. In the present study, data collected by using two questionnaires of job characteristics devised by Hackman and Oldeham, and of intrinsic motivation. Content validity was confirmed by experts and its reliability was calculated through coefficient of Cronbach's alpha (r1 = 0.84- r2 = 0.94). The questionnaires completed were entered into SPSS(18) software; furthermore, statistical analysis done descriptively (frequency percent, mean, standard deviation, Pierson correlation coefficient,...) and inferentially (multiple regression, MANOVA, LSD). FINDINGS: A significant relationship between job characteristics as well as its elements (skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy and feedback) and intrinsic motivation was noticed. (p < or = 0.05). Also the results of multivariable regression showed that the relationship between job characteristic and intrinsic motivation was significant and job feedback had the most impact upon the intrinsic motivation. No significant difference was noticed among the mean amounts of job characteristic perception according to age, gender, level of education, and the kind of educational degree in hospitals. However, there was a significant difference among the mean amounts of job characteristic perception according to the unit of service and the years of servicein hospitals. CONCLUSION: The findings show that all job characteristics had positive effect upon intrinsic motivations and job feedback had the most effect on intrinsic motivation. Hence, it is necessary to take into account that job characteristics have a great role in changing the level of intrinsic motivation in the staffs.

Patient access to electronic health record: a comparative study on laws, policies and procedures in selected countries.

INTRODUCTION: The e-health system must have the capability of patient access to electronic health record. The advantage of access to their record lets them have better understanding of their condition and treatment. It can also raise the reliability of consistency and correctness of data in health care system. Finally it will improve the maintenance quality of medical records and guarantee better results of medication. This study aimed to carry out a comparative study concerning laws, policies and procedures upon patients' access right to EHR in selected countries and to suggest appropriate solutions for Iran. METHOD: This was a comparative descriptive study. The study population was the laws, policies and procedures of patients' access right to EHR belong to countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Iran. Data were collected by taking notes on index cards. In this study in order to collect data, at first, the researcher studied the websites related to Health Ministry of the countries and existing laws and policies through related links in the websites. In next step, the health information management association websites were studied and the related data were collected. The gathered data were analyzed through content analysis. RESULTS: The findings of research showed that in every four countries there are generally some laws, policies and procedures. Although Canada and New Zealand concerning the number of laws and policies related to the subject subsequently are ranked after Australia, they are ranked prior to Australia regarding benefiting the laws and specified policies. CONCLUSION: Given the necessity of EHR implementing and codifying the planning of SEPAS in Iran, as there is no specified laws or procedures regarding patients' access right to EHR, the obligation of paying attention to assigning a law or at least obvious policies and procedures and providing the details is absolutely apparent.

The role of evaluation pharmacy information system in management of medication related complications.

INTRODUCTION: As a natural phenomenon in the patient's medication therapy, medication clinical complications potentially or concretely interrupt medical care consequential productivity for the patients. Medication related clinical complications include drug errors, drug side effects, drug interactions and drug usage-related challenges. The present research intends to explore the role that the Pharmacy Information System (PIS) may play in the management of medication complications with reference to the pharmaceutical societies of America and Australia in selected teaching, private and social services hospitals of the city of Isfahan. METHODOLOGY: As an applied, descriptive-analytical study, this study has been conducted in teaching, private and social services hospitals situated in the city of Isfahan in 2011. The research population consisted of the PISs used in the hospitals under study. Research sample was the same as the population. The data collection instrument used was a self-designed checklist developed based on the guidelines of the American Society of Health System Pharmacists and Pharmaceutical Society of Australia validity of which was assessed by expert professors' views. The data, collected by observation and interview methods, were put into SPSS 18 software to be analyzed. FINDINGS: The findings of the study revealed that among the 19 hospitals in question, the highest and lowest ranks in observing the societies of the pharmacists' established standards related to medication therapy, i.e. registration of drug use status and drug interactions belonged to social services hospitals (mean score of %10.1) and private hospitals (mean score of %6.24), respectively. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings, it can be claimed that the hospitals in question did not pay due attention to standards established by the societies of pharmacists regarding the medication therapy including register of drug usage status, drug interactions and drug side effects in their PISs. Hence, more thought must be given to the capabilities of the PIS in supporting the medication-related decisions and drug errors management so as to promote the treatment quality and satisfy medication therapy goals.

Readiness assessment of electronic health records implementation.

INTRODUCTION: During the past 20 years, with huge advances in information technology and particularly, in the areas of health, various forms of electronic records have been discussed, designed or implemented. Although making health records automatically has many advantages but unfortunately in some cases, creation of an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system seems to be complicated. E-health (Electronic health) readiness assessment, as a part of the assessment before implementation is considered essential and prior to implementation. Readiness assessment aims to evaluate preparedness of each organizational component. This process can lead to the correct decision making. Therefore, identifying areas and requirements for such an assessment is so essential. Using the results of this assessment can identify deficiencies in the existing electronic health records to plan their strategies. The aim of this study was first; to show the situation of readiness assessment in EHR implementation roadmap, second, to recognize requirements associated with electronic readiness assessment and main areas of EHR readiness assessment. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: This study reviewed the literature on EHR readiness assessment with the help of library and also searches engines available at Google. For our searches, we employed the following keywords and their combinations: readiness, assessment, implementation, Electronic Health Record (EHR), Information Technology, road map in the searching areas of title, keywords, abstract, and full text. In this study, more than 100 articles and reports were collected and 45 of them were selected based on their relevancy.