Biomaterial Database

Computerized information systems for social workers in health care. 1990

E Mutschler

School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109.

Social workers' contributions to preventive medicine; discharge planning; and effective integration of hospital, family, and community resources are becoming increasingly important within the changing context of health care delivery. Information technology can be a powerful tool for developing efficient, accurate, and comprehensive patient records. In spite of the potential that information technology offers health care social workers, the actual use of computerized patient data has been limited and slow to develop. This article describes the development of a prototype information system that supports the diverse tasks of health care social workers in ambulatory care, shows how a shared computerized database can improve coordination of patient care among multiple health care disciplines, and addresses emerging issues as a growing number of social workers in health care use computerized information systems.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007256	Information Systems	Integrated set of files, procedures, and equipment for the storage, manipulation, and retrieval of information.	Ancillary Information Systems,Emergency Care Information Systems,Information Retrieval Systems,Perinatal Information System,Ancillary Information System,Information Retrieval System,Information System,Information System, Ancillary,Information System, Perinatal,Perinatal Information Systems,Systems, Information Retrieval
D008838	Microcomputers	Small computers using LSI (large-scale integration) microprocessor chips as the CPU (central processing unit) and semiconductor memories for compact, inexpensive storage of program instructions and data. They are smaller and less expensive than minicomputers and are usually built into a dedicated system where they are optimized for a particular application. "Microprocessor" may refer to just the CPU or the entire microcomputer.	Computers, Personal,Microprocessors,Computer, Personal,Microcomputer,Microprocessor,Personal Computer,Personal Computers
D010351	Patient Discharge	The administrative process of discharging the patient, alive or dead, from hospitals or other health facilities.	Discharge Planning,Discharge Plannings,Discharge, Patient,Discharges, Patient,Patient Discharges,Planning, Discharge,Plannings, Discharge
D010353	Patient Education as Topic	The teaching or training of patients concerning their own health needs.	Education of Patients,Education, Patient,Patient Education
D006748	Hospital Departments	Major administrative divisions of the hospital.	Departments, Hospital,Department, Hospital,Hospital Department
D000555	Ambulatory Care Information Systems	Information systems, usually computer-assisted, designed to store, manipulate, and retrieve information for planning, organizing, directing, and controlling administrative activities associated with the provision and utilization of ambulatory care services and facilities.	Ambulatory Information Systems,Information Systems, Ambulatory Care,Ambulatory Information System,Information System, Ambulatory,Information Systems, Ambulatory
D012948	Social Work Department, Hospital	Hospital department responsible for administering and providing social services to patients and their families.	Hospital Social Work Department
D014481	United States	A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.