Uses of Health Information

Question 0

How is healthcare information used to monitor trends in disease?

Answer 0

Compare the rates of incidence and/or mortality rates over time, between places/socioeconomic groups etc., or a combination.

Question 1

What factor in health information determine health and healthcare needs?

Answer 1

How common (prevalence -> resources needed), how serious (severity -> priority -> services needed), how expensive (cost -> budget).

Question 2

How can trends in disease be used?

Answer 2

Can show where more resources will be needed using future projections.

Question 3

What issues can there be when observing trends?

Answer 3

Chance (random) variation or artifactual (systematic) errors - eg. different methods for recording data being introduced.

Question 4

How is healthcare information used to monitor performance in healthcare?

Answer 4

Number or rate of deaths/complications by certain healthcare professionals or hospitals, disease rates at hospitals.