Alternative strategies to interpretative information systems

Abstract

The relentless move to computerisation in the National Health Service in the United Kingdom (NHS) is challenged in this paper. The distinction between two types of information is defined: proceduralised and interpretative. An alternative to the latter is presented that relies on a change in organisational structure in the form of a self contained unit. This effectively reduces the need to process information. The unit, based on the principles of Patient Focused Care, provide multiskilled teams using a combination of multi-disciplinary documentation and protocols of care to ensure effective communication takes place without the use of interpretative information systems.