Database in an Organisation - Essay Example

? DATABASE SYSTEM IN AN ORGANIZATION goes here of goes here goes here February 23, Table of Contents Abstract 1 1. Introduction 2 2. What is Database? 2 2.1 Types of Databases 3 3. What is Database Management System? 4 4. Uses of Database Systems in a Health Care Organization 4 5. How Do Organizations Use Database Systems? 6 6. Advantages and Disadvantage of Database Systems 6 7. Conclusion 7 References 8 Abstract Database is a record of important data, which an organization requires to run different business processes and activities. This study covers various aspects related to database systems in the BMI healthcare hospital located in the United Kingdom. An analysis of database applications shows that a database system is an integral part of any health care organization. The key functions of a database system are also determined which include recording the relevant data, processing of data, organizing the collected data, and assisting departments of an organization in the different business processes. The result of the study shows that an efficient database system plays a key role in the progress and development of BMI healthcare hospital. 1. Introduction Data or up to date information is of critical importance for any company or organization. It not only plays a key role in the success of an organization but also makes the organizations compete with other firms in a competitive environment. However, companies need to manage the data in an appropriate way in order to make a good use of it. Therefore, information technology professionals have developed database systems, which not only help the organizations manage the data properly but also make the organizational activities efficient and well organized. It is due to the utmost importance of database systems that almost every company or organization of the current business environment has implemented efficient database systems in order to manage data in an organized way. In this paper, we will discuss what database systems are and what role do they play in the success of an organization. 2. What is Database? Before going into the discussion related to databases and their uses in organizations, let us get a better understanding of what database actually is. Date, Kannan, and Swamynathan (2006, p. 6) state, “A database is basically a computerized record-keeping system”. Database is a record of important data or information, which an organization requires to run different business processes and activities. “A database can be limited to a single desktop computer or can be stored in large server machines, like the IBM Mainframe” (Satalkar, 2009). Database systems are not like spreadsheets. Some of the functions, which make database systems different from spreadsheets, include retrieval of records that match certain criteria, updating of records in bulk, cross-referencing records in different tables, and performing complex aggregate calculations (Chapple). Database systems help the employees retrieve some specific data from the records. Database systems also help the doctors prepare reports based on recorded data and assist them in performing complex calculations needed to analyze different case histories. 2.1 Types of Databases “Two of the most popular database systems used by web developers today are MySQL and Microsoft's MS SQL server” (Hobach, 2008). There are various types of databases depending on the structure of data. Some most common types of databases include flat model database, network model database, hierarchical model database, and relational model database. The most commonly used type of database is relational model database. “In a relational database, information is stored in tables (often called relations) which help organize and structure data” (Martin, 2010). Companies use relational model database not only to store data but also to retrieve it when needed. Data is stored in the form of tables and each record stored in the table can have many fields. Using relational model database, concerned departments can retrieve data easily without affecting the structure of the table. In flat model database, there is a flat structure of data maintained in the database. The flat model database includes only one attribute in a column. For example, a column for roll numbers will include only roll numbers and nothing else. In network model database, each stored record has some link with other records maintained by the database. Hierarchical model database is another model for storing a large amount of data. In this model, there is a parent-child relationship between the records. The links are nested upwards to organize data in a well-structured form. 3. What is Database Management System? Database Management System is a software program to manage the databases of a company. Tatum (n.d.) asserts, “The database management system, or DBMS, is a computer software program that is designed as the means of managing all databases that are currently installed on a system hard drive or network”. Companies install different database systems to organize and manage data. However, database systems cannot work without implementation of a Database Management System. “A DBMS allows large amounts of data to be stored in the most efficient manner possible” (Francois, 2011). A DBMS is specifically deigned to create, maintain, and use different databases installed on any computer system. Connolly and Begg (2005, p. 20) found that the most important component of the DBMS environment is data. “Database maintenance is an activity which is designed to keep a database running smoothly” (Smith, n.d.). A DMBS makes use of data structures to manage the databases. Tatum (n.d.) states, “Data structures are what allow DBMS to interact with the data without causing and damage to the integrity of the data itself”. There are many forms of Database Management Systems, which the companies use to manage databases. Some of the most common forms of DBMS solutions include Oracle and FileMaker. 4. Uses of Database Systems in a Healthcare Organization “BMI Healthcare, the acute private hospital division of General Healthcare Group, is the largest independent provider of private health care in the UK” (Gold, 2011).This hospital provides excellent surgical and medical facilities to the patients. In BMI healthcare hospital, database systems record all information related to patients and employees in an organized way. Chapple (n.d.) states, “Databases are designed to offer an organized mechanism for storing, managing and retrieving information”. It is clear from the statement that database plays a key role in managing the systems of a healthcare organization. In BMI healthcare hospital, the database system not only stores and manages information but also helps the departments of the organizations to retrieve relevant information from the database. Improperly stored data or irrelevant data causes problems for the organizations rather than making them progress. Without implementation of an efficient database system, no healthcare organization can work effectively because every department requires some sort of data to perform different activities such as maintenance of records of employees and doctors. The key functions of a database system in a healthcare organization include recording relevant information, performing documentation of the collected information, and assisting the organizations in the processing of information. It is the responsibility of the computer department of a healthcare organization to manage the database systems. The computer professionals store large amounts of data in a tabular form into the computer systems. They first incorporate a program known as database management system to manage the information and queries and then implement efficient database systems in the organization. The database systems have such features, which enable the computer professionals retrieve important information in case of any sort of hardware failure. The data is not lost in such failures and is kept in the records for the use of employees. It is an advantage of the database systems that they keep the integrity of data intact. 5. How Do Organizations Use Database Systems? Organizations make use of database systems by recording data into the tables in their respective columns. Tables include different columns, which are dedicated to specific attributes. “Each column contains a different type of attribute and each row corresponds to a single record” (Chapple, n.d.). For example, a table may consist of attributes such as patient’s name, ward no., and doctor’s name. Now, names of the patients will be included in the column of names. Similarly, ward numbers of all patients will be included in the column of ward numbers. Now, when any concerned department will need to check the names of employees in any specific ward, it will simply give the query to the database system to search patients’ names admitted in that specific ward. The database system will return the patients’ names to the department. The database systems are so much efficient that they face no difficulty in managing or presenting relevant data to the concerned authorities. 6. Advantages and Disadvantage of Database Systems Use of database systems brings many advantages to the organizations. All of these advantages make use of database system integral for running an organization. Some of the most incredible advantages include reduction in data redundancy, improvement in data security, reduction in the costs of data storage and retrieval, improved data integrity, sharing of data, development of flexible conceptual design, and increased data consistency. Gupta (2009, p. 2) found that centralized management and control over the data are two of the most important advantages of database systems. Along with several advantages, there also exist some disadvantages of using database systems. Some of the disadvantages of database systems include increased complexity in the conceptual design process, high dependency of the DBMS processes, extra cost of hiring database professionals, and an increase in the individual applications’ processing time. 7. Conclusion Summing it up, database is a record of important data, which an organization requires to run different business processes and activities. Effective management of business related information plays a key role in the success of an organization. There exist various types of database models, which help the companies manage important data. The key functions of a database system include recording the relevant data, processing of data, performing documentation of the collected information, and assisting departments of an organization in different business processes. Therefore, we can say that an efficient database system plays a key role in the progress and development of an organization. References Chapple, M n.d. What is a Database?, viewed 23 February 2011, . Connolly, M. and Begg, E., 2005. Database Systems: A Practical Approach to Design, Implementation, and Management. 4th ed. New Delhi: Pearson Education. Date, C. Kannan, A. and Swamynathan, S., 2006. An Introduction to Database Systems. 8th ed. New Delhi: Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd. Francois, C 2011. What are the Advantages of DBMS?, viewed 23 February 2011, . Gold, S 2011. Private Healthcare Providers: BMI Healthcare, Cinven/Spire Healthcare and Circle Health, viewed 23 February 2011, . Gupta, D., 2009. Database Management System Oracle Sql and Pl/Sql. New Delhi: PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd. Hobach, A 2008. Advantages and Disadvantages to Using MySQL Vs MS SQL, viewed 23 February 2011, . Martin, A 2010. Disadvantages of a Relational Database, viewed 23 February 2011, . Satalkar, B 2009. Advantages of Database Management Systems, viewed 23 February 2011, . Smith, S n.d. What Is Database Maintenance?, viewed 23 February 2011, . Tatum, M n.d. What is DBMS?, viewed 23 February 2011, . Read More