On data error control problems in medical information systems

Abstract

The problem of data error control is one of the significant issues in the design of medical information systems which are used for supporting medical decision making. High degree of accuracy of information is necessary when human health problems are involved.A literature survey was conducted and an examination of several existing computerized medical information systems was made. The results indicate that many systems now in use have not adequately designed to implement fully the data error control techniques now available for minimizing the data errors. The situation may be improved by carefully introducing these techniques into the information processing procedures. It also suggests that further research should be undertaken in order to develop better suited data error detecting and correcting techniques for medical information systems.A systematic analysis was made to identify the sources and the causes of the data errors in medical information processing procedures both in mannual as well as in automated systems. Data errors are classified and are discussed along with the logical data flow in a typical medical information processing model. The characteristics of the data items involved, the data structures, the nature of the data errors, and the possible data error control methods are disscussed.