The Language of Health Informatics - Essay Example

Large databases need network servers or Main frame computers in order to successfully manage such data with effectiveness. Many databases become so large in their function that they can only be stored on large network servers and accessed online. There are many public databases that are available for online use like America Online or Microsoft Network. These databases may be specialized like legal database of Lexis or universities providing learning material through a Moodle on a central server.

For large databases, it is important that some database files are kept separate even though the files are closely related information wise. For example, a hospital may keep a patient’s work and home address, telephone number etc. in one file while medical history on other. It is to be done because smaller chunks of data are easier to be navigated through and different group may be authorized to the patient’s medical history only, like the doctor. It is important that the data kept in large databases is not redundant as it would result in waste of precious resources and end up costing more and more to the whole system.

It is however popular to store data at different campsites for security purposes but it has to be made sure that the integrity of data is maintained. That is why it is advised that the databases kept are not redundant because many businesses keep data in multiple locations and maintaining the integrity of data and its accuracy may result in costly system that in the end are overly inefficient. Databases have a huge perk of liking data to be used from multiple sources. For example, users of a cell phone in USA provide certain demography that uses it.

Using this information, similar demography in different countries to launch this product can be found. All of this indicates the different purposes for a database use and it helps a user in determining in what type of database to use and to minimize redundancy and discrepancies (Personal.psu.edu, 2013). Types of Medical Data and Information Records Relevant to the Project Based on storage of data, medical data that is generated through medical practice, operations and medical research is divided into two types.

The data that will not change after it is stored within the database that is managed in a fixed content file (FCF) like medical history of patients or there is data that might change after storage like medical research and new findings which are managed in a variable content file (VCF). Based on the requirement of this project, it can easily be said that the data to be managed is fixed because the new electronic information system is going to be used to share patient medical history in a hospital among its various hospital centers and departments (Smith, 2009).

Importance of Uniform Terminology Uniform terminology of medical data and its standardization is a very important process as doing this the medical records of different departments in a hospital can be seamlessly shared between doctors who will be able to completely understand the form in which the data of the patient is stored without much scrutiny. Although this process of standardization takes time, but once the medical staff is completely familiarized with the terminology the ambiguities in different terms between doctors will be minimum like doctors describing to each other the severe condition of a patient through a code that leads to nursing staff and helping doctor to completely und