Modeling with Common KADS - Assignment Example

Title: Modeling with common KADS Dated: April 16, 2010 Introduction: Knowledge Management Cycle provides a central hub for the acquisition and utilization of the acquired Knowledge for making solutions of the problems as are faced by the society. Knowledge is the information which helps in the solution of complex processes like Emergency Management at the Emergency centers in the shape of services as on need basis. The acquisition of knowledge starts as a set of data with particular focus on specific item or subject for elaborating all the aspects of the set discipline in the shape of practicable practices with the assistance of tools and procedures. The organizations acquire and utilize the relevant knowledge for the delivery the jobs as per their mission in the area of their specific interest.The Emergency management by the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) to 1,250,000 citizens in an area of 1015.34 km square over 17 municipalities in Netherlands. The knowledge is acquired and utilized in a cyclic pattern starting from the stage of discovering knowledge in the shape of data, information and the refined knowledge in philosophical perspective for its utilization for making plausible solutions for the complex problems as are being faced by the human society. The next stage in the process is the generation of knowledge for its utilization by the organization for the discharge of its functions as per mission of the organization. The organizations apply knowledge management techniques with the utilization of necessary tools and technology for the benefit of the organization as well as by other beneficiaries of the work of the organization through the application of the acquired knowledge. The Emergency Medical Service is applying the knowledge for the reduction of reaction time through the elimination of General Practitioners from the whole network for the service provision to the heart patients. The knowledge management techniques are designed in the shape of knowledge management strategies. The next stage in the cycle is sharing the knowledge with all the members of the organization to educate and trained them for their respective job description within the organization. The last stage in the knowledge management cycle is leveraging knowledge within the learning organization in the shape of intellectual capital. The integration of all these stages provides a mechanism to the EMS for the delivery of the services for lowering the rate of illness that is called as morbidity rate and therefore the death rate that is mortality rate from area of the study. The current status of Emergency Management Service: The Emergency Management Service (EMS) is a component of the General and Social Sanitary Care, a part of the Municipal Medical and Sanitary Service (GG&GD). EMS consists of two units which are physically separated from each other and are labeled as (a) the dispatch centre, and (b) the ambulance service. Basically, two functions are delivered at the EMS as the emergency-management functions including communication & coordination, emergency medical care, and the ambulance function and the support functions like policy making, archiving, and evaluation of the programs and supervision of the assignments as are delivered by the EMS which is managed by a manager. The ambulance and the dispatch centre are equipped with necessary staff and the equipment. The dispatch center has nurse dispatchers who perform the communication & coordination functions at the center. Similarly, the ambulance service is managed by the ambulance unit which consists of a paramedic who perform the emergency medical care, and a driver, who deals with the ambulance functions as are delivered by the ambulance units to the heart patients for their shifting and medical treatment at the health care units. Both of these units that is the dispatch center and the ambulance unit deliver their respective assignments under separate managers who directly report to the manager of the EMS. The working of all these components of the EMS with their proper understanding has thee potential to deliver quality services. The organizational model with the help of common Knowledge Based Systems Analysis and Design Support (KADS) has the capacity to provide a mechanism for the solution of the problem. The organizational arrangement at the EMS can be represented as under: Figure 1 The Worksheet OM-1 shows the organizational model, the problems and the opportunities and is reflected in the following shape: The Organization Model Problems and Opportunities in the form of OM-1 EMS has an organizational arrangement with job description for each member of the organization a) Delays in responding to the calls as made by the probable heart patients for emergency treatment b) Incorporation of the common knowledge-based system to formulate solutions to the problem Organizational Context Mission of the organization: a. To Provide effective and efficient emergency response service to the heart patients in the area of the study b. Operate within the budgetary requirements without sacrificing effectiveness and efficiency of the organization. Goals: a. Send emergency response team within the shortest possible time through reduction in the delays through the elimination of the GPs, b. Provide fast ambulance on critical cases which necessitates it c. Streamline and strengthen coordination within the system Solutions a. Reduce the delay by removing the GP and b. Coordinate with other organizations ,and c. To develop a strategic plans to solve the problem with the utilization of common KADS. The Activity diagram at the EMS center is given below: Table 2 – Worksheet OM-2 Organization Model Variant Aspects Worksheet OM-2 Structure detailed structure of EMS is shown in Figure 2 Process The EMS process involves 5 tasks from the GP receiving the call from the patient until hospital his/her transport. People involved External to the EMS, the GP plays a vital role in attending the calls, Managers of the GSSC and the MMSS ensures observance of the mission of the organization Managers of the EMS units supervise all the operations of the center At the Dispatch center, the Nurse dispatcher in the Dispatch Center handles coordination and communication between emergency calls and the Ambulance Center Paramedic carries out the emergency medical care to patients transported Driver to derive the ambulance System Manager handles the archiving function Resources Communication system IT support system Vehicle for hospital transport, and Temporary & immediate medical care equipment Knowledge Sufficient professional knowledge is available for running the operations Culture & Power Formal and informal relationships exist in the organization Table 3 – Worksheet OM-3 Organization Model Process Breakdown Worksheet OM-3 No. Task Performed By Where? Knowledge Asset Knowledge Intensive? Significance 1 To diagnose the Patient GP Preferably at the Patient’s home Medical background yes Increases the patient’s recovery rate 2 Receive Call Nurse Dispatcher at the dispatch center Dispatch Center IT support system in the operations of the center Of medium nature Serve as input for the whole process 3 Coordinate Ambulance Service Nurse Dispatcher EMS – Dispatch Center Same as in row 2 above As above As above 4 Dispatch Ambulance Paramedic STAFF EMS – Ambu-lance Service UNIT Procedures on initial AMI medical assistance Yes Same as above 5 Transport Patient to the Hospital Driver - Geographic data is essential Of Medium nature Same as above Table 4 – Worksheet OM-4 Organization Model Process Breakdown Worksheet OM-4 Knowl-edge Pos-sessed By Used In Right Form? Right Place? Right Time? Right Quality? Medical background knowledge GP Patient diagnosis Yes Yes No Yes IT support system operations Nurse Dis- patcher at the dispatch center Coordina-tion No No Yes Yes Procedures on initial AMI medical assistance Para- medic On patients No No No No Geographic data of the area For the convenience of driver of the ambulance To shift the patient to hospital No No No No Worksheet -1 and worksheet-2 will help to understand the subject Worksheet TM-1 Task Model Task Analysis Task To receive Calls at the center Organization To communicate with all the segments of the center Goal and Value To minimize the reaction time for the supply of emergency services Dependency Flow Input task Objects Handled Input Objects as to receive the calls Output Objects to make dispatch schedule Internal Objects: triage questionnaire for the system Timing and Control As per need of the system Agents Nurse Dispatcher, IT support system Knowledge and Competence Background professional medical and IT knowledge Resources As per need of the system Quality and Performance To improve the knowledge and professional competence within the system Table 6 – Worksheet TM-2 for the IT Support System Task Model Knowledge Item Worksheet TM-2 Name Possessed By Used In Domain IT Support System Nurse Dispatcher Receive Call Nature of Knowledge Bottleneck/ to be improved? Formal, rigorous yes Yes Empirical, quantitative yes Heuristic, rules of thumb yes Highly specialized, Domain-specific Yes Experience-based Action based yes Incomplete yes Form of Knowledge Electronic Yes Availability of Knowledge Limitations in access yes Limitations in quality yes Limitations in form yes Three types of delays and the management solution: EMS through set of components is providing emergency services to 1,250,000 citizens in an area of 1015.34 km square over 17 municipalities in Netherlands. The center is receiving approximately 400 calls/day, out of which 62.5% to 75% are relating to the heart diseases. The duration of handling these calls have the potential to reduce the morbidity rate that is the number of people that are ill and the mortality rate that is the number of deaths could be reduced to the level of 20-40%. These services have noticed a number of delays and in the overall process that is a patient delay in the form of delayed reporting to the GP by one hour approximately, GP arrival delay for half an hour and treatment delay for another 25 minutes, a reduction in the delay time has a potential to improve the quality of services and therefore, the emergency medical services has decided to eliminate the tear of the GP and through the introduction of a system for making a direct linkage by the citizens to the emergency services providers and therefore, a prompt start of the emergency reliefs in the shape of relevant treatment. The proposed study has given workable business and technical feasibilities with the application of knowledge based tools. The common KADS solutions are based on a number of models like agent model with specific role for each agent in the organization, the task model with an explanation of the each task agent for the delivery of services within the given financial and time limits , the experts model with specific role for each expert, the organizational model with the distribution of work for each component of the organization and with hierarchical arrangement and the communication model for better understanding and comprehension of the knowledge based solutions for the problem. The management of the EMS has decided to decrease the delay times through the elimination of the General Practitioners delay and through the introduction of a method to encourage the citizens to make call directly to the EMS for the provision of the services. The mechanism is based on the hypothesis that less the number of the tiers, less delays and finally the services will be delivered in the shortest possible time to the patients. The proposed elimination of the GPs will generate an amended mechanism for the provision of emergency services to the patients on the basis of information relating to the heart disease. The analysis of the information by the coordinating agents at the dispatch center and the provision of services by the ambulance unit will help in the provision of the requisite services for the recovery of the patients. The objectives of the strategy will be achieved with the active participation of all the components of the emergency service center through the application of knowledge based solutions. The organizational model provides guideline for each segment of the organization for the delivery of the services for the achievement of the objectives of the organization. The common KADS provide an understanding of the solution to the problems like adequate delivery of services by the EMS with improved understanding and better coordination among all the stakeholders as are linked with the organization. The application of agent model: The Knowledge Based System has revolutionized the working systems through a set of models for making solutions for the problems and the delivery of the quality services to the citizens. The agent model with the description of roles for each agent along with the task model and the coordination model has the potential to deliver quality services for the provision of emergency services to the citizens. The agents are the focal areas for the delivery of the services to achieve the objectives in a coordinated arrangement. List of the agents are given below: a) The citizens which needs emergency services with a final target in the reduction of morbidity and mortality rates with improved emergency services; b) The management and the staff of the EMS; c) Medical professionals and the supporting staff at the health facility centers; d) The data bank with number of calls as generated by the citizens for seeking medical facilities with a sole objective that is the recovery of the heart diseases. Business Feasibility and Technical Feasibility of the Project: The project through the application of common KADS solution for the provision of emergency facilities is based on the sound business feasibility of the project. The Knowledge Based Solution has provided a viable network of actions for all the stakeholders for the achievement of the targets of the project. The business feasibility of the project is based on the success rate for the provision of the emergency services by the EMS. At all the stages of the service delivery center, the reaction time will be lowered as in synergetic pattern. The sequence of the reactions for the completion of the tasks is represented below for the application of common KADS in the model: 1. Citizens suffering with the heart disease make a call at the EMS center, 2. The calls are evaluated at the dispatch center for further actions , 3. The citizens are examined at the health facility centers and if found in the category of the cardiac diseases, their treatment is initiated. 4. The provision of the medical facilities at the centers will help in the achievement of the objectives of the EMS. The technical feasibility of the project is to promote the cause of the program as the arrangements will provide a workable mechanism. The position has been explained with the help of the following model and the model includes a set of activities in cyclic pattern. The cycle starts with the initiation of the calls by the heart patient from the study area, processing of the call, dispatch of the ambulance, shifting of the patient to the health care facility and the provision of the health facility. The technical model has a close association with the business model of the study and both of these are essential for the success of the model. The role of each component /player is clear at each step and the delivery of the specific jobs promotes confidence among all other members of the working. The model reflects the role of the business as well as technical feasibility of the project and the model in the form of technical feasibility of the project is given as under: The actors of the model along with their description and usages are summarized as under: Name of the actor Description of the role Usages The citizens The citizens with heart diseases make calls at the EMS for Ambulance The calls are treated as inputs for the project; The dispatch center will receive and evaluate the incoming calls The calls are evaluated and the instructions are pass on to the ambulance center The staff will deliver the emergency services to shift the patients at the health facility center The medical professionals Initial medical services are provided The final outcome will be as low morbidity and mortality rates as the final objectives. Complementary changes: The project needs complementary changes for the inclusion as recommendations for making necessary technical and professional changes in the structure of the project. The project need a team of medical experts at the EMS for making technical reviews of the incoming calls from the citizens for ambulance service as final outcome of the calls by the EMS. The step will work as a filter clinic to examine the nature of the disease as reported by the citizens. Moreover, maintenance of a databank and displaying the organizational chart at the center will help in the achievement of the objectives of the EMS. Advantages and disadvantages of the proposed project: The proposed model for the provision of the medical facilities to the citizens has a set of advantages and disadvantages as are linked with the model. The advantages include provision of the affiliated services by all the components of the organization as per their respective job description. The staff at the ambulance center and at the dispatch center will discharge their functions under the supervision of the respective managers for the provision of the emergency services to the potential citizens; the medical staff will quickly work for the delivery of the professional services especially relating to the heart diseases and therefore quick relief to the patients from the heart diseases. The proposed model has few disadvantages too, for example, at each time the medical professionals will examine the patient as heart patient and, therefore, may lead the diagnostic process to a different direction will the general patients. An Alternative solution of the problem: The proposed model is based on the elimination of the GPs on the basis of common KADS and has the potential to provide services to the citizens in a quick mechanism. However, the retention of the GPs in the project will help in the evaluation of the cases as on professional lines. In the proposed mechanism all the stakeholders will deliver their respective assignments as in a quick fashion for the achievement of the desired targets with the utilization of the resources both human and physical for the provision of emergency services as in professional manner. Reference: 1. Addicott, Rachael; McGivern, Gerry; Ferlie, Ewan (2006). "Networks, Organizational Learning and Knowledge Management: NHS Cancer Networks". Public Money & Management 26 (2): 87–94. http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=889992. Read More