Biomaterial Database

Health services research, outcomes, and perinatal information systems. 1998

J L Diaz-Rossello

Centro Latinoamericano de Perinatologia, Montevideo, Uruguay.

The progress in information and communication technology, together with the search for the most effective and efficient ways to use the limited resources for health care, are opening new areas for research and development in perinatal care. Information systems and practice oriented by evidence-based medicine are modifying the operation of health services, and the quality of their management is being monitored by the success of their outcomes. As a study case, a Perinatal Information System widely used in Latin America and the Caribbean is discussed in some detail. Future challenges in the compatibility of information systems and databanks, the need for longer follow-up periods and measurement of health-related quality of life as outcomes for perinatal care, and the strategies to integrate all these concepts for the improvement of daily practice are discussed.

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
D007843	Latin America	The geographic area of Mexico, Central America, continent of South America and the islands of the Caribbean where Spanish or other Romance language is spoken.
D006302	Health Services Research	The integration of epidemiologic, sociological, economic, and other analytic sciences in the study of health services. Health services research is usually concerned with relationships between need, demand, supply, use, and outcome of health services. The aim of the research is evaluation, particularly in terms of structure, process, output, and outcome. (From Last, Dictionary of Epidemiology, 2d ed)	Health Care Research,Medical Care Research,Research, Health Services,Action Research,Health Services Evaluation,Healthcare Research,Research, Medical Care,Evaluation, Health Services,Evaluations, Health Services,Health Services Evaluations,Research, Action,Research, Health Care,Research, Healthcare
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D017063	Outcome Assessment, Health Care	Research aimed at assessing the quality and effectiveness of health care as measured by the attainment of a specified end result or outcome. Measures include parameters such as improved health, lowered morbidity or mortality, and improvement of abnormal states (such as elevated blood pressure).	Assessment, Outcome,Outcome Assessment,Outcome Assessment (Health Care),Outcomes Research,Assessment, Outcomes,Outcome Measures,Outcome Studies,Outcomes Assessment,Assessment, Outcome (Health Care),Assessments, Outcome,Assessments, Outcome (Health Care),Assessments, Outcomes,Measure, Outcome,Measures, Outcome,Outcome Assessments,Outcome Assessments (Health Care),Outcome Measure,Outcome Study,Outcomes Assessments,Research, Outcomes,Studies, Outcome,Study, Outcome
D017691	Caribbean Region	The area that lies between continental North and South America and comprises the Caribbean Sea, the West Indies, and the adjacent mainland regions of southern Mexico, Central America, Colombia, and Venezuela.	West Indies Region,Caribbean,Caribbean Sea Region
D018743	Perinatal Care	The care of women and a fetus or newborn given before, during, and after delivery from the 28th week of gestation through the 7th day after delivery.	Care, Perinatal
D019992	Databases as Topic	Works on organized collections of records, standardized in format and content, that are stored in any of a variety of computer-readable modes.	Data Banks as Topic,Data Bases as Topic,Databanks as Topic