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When you analyse your case, you can start by discussing which of the sectors of the circle in the model is most important: Are the challenges described in the case related to for example, dataproduction and data work, standardization, or some other issue? You can also ask questions relatingto the three concentric circles: Is the patient experience affected, is the healthcare service changed,or does this impact the larger health system? And you can continue to ask e.g.: Who has to do extrawork now? Are some challenges caused by the current infrastructure? If we want to change theexisting solution, where do these changes need to be implemented? And you should continue toexplore whether there are other questions we can ask based on the framework.To do the assignment, follow these steps:
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- Create a small group, 3-4 people (max 4). Make sure your group includes participants withexperience from practice in a health care setting
- In the group, discuss the experiences participants with health background have frompractice. Describe challenges related to health data (e.g., challenges with producing relevantdata, sharing data internally or with other organizations), projects that participants havebeen involved in related to health data, or maybe innovative ways data have been used.
- Choose one of the experiences (or create a synthesis between similar experiences) andcreate a case description of it. This should include a description of the context, what datawas used for, which activities that were involved, and any experienced challenges.
- Analyze and discuss the case using the course syllabus. Refer to the course model andexplain why you have chosen specific themes to discuss.
- Create presentation (approximately 10-15 minutes) where you present the case andanalysis.
Tips:
You can use ChatGPT, GPT UiO (gpt.uio.no) or other generative AI tools to help you describeyour case. This does not mean that the whole case should be generated, but you can experiment with the chat tools based on facts and experiences from your case. Remember to write in the presentation what you have used the tool for.
Remember to add references when you refer to literature, also when it is included in thesyllabus. The last slide of the presentation should have you references.
Example case:
Context: This case unfolds within a home care service provider that relies on an outdated, yet critical, legacyinformation system to manage patient care records. The legacy system, developed several decadesago, has become deeply ingrained in the organization's operations and infrastructure. Despite itsreliability for basic functions, the system's age and the cost of potential upgrades or replacementshave deterred significant modernization efforts.
The Challenge: Home care nurses play a pivotal role in the provision of care, often visiting patients in their homes toassess their needs and provide necessary services. A crucial part of their duty involves documentingany specific patient requirements or risks in the healthcare information system, ensuring acomprehensive care plan is in place. However, a gap between required documentation practices and the functionality of the system has recently become visible to central home care leaders: theinability to register a patient's need for assistance in the event of a fire.
When the home care nurses have complained, they have been told that the system's inflexibility andthe cost of development hinders adding new functionalities. In home care district “Apple”, the headnurse has, therefore, devised a workaround. Nurses are instructed to input this critical safetyinformation into an existing field within the system that is designated for a completely differentpurpose. This field, originally intended to document another aspect of patient care, now doubles asa makeshift repository for fire assistance needs.
This unconventional solution has led to several complications. Firstly, the repurposing of the systemfield has introduced ambiguity and inconsistency in patient records. Information crucial to patientsafety is obscured by being placed in an unrelated field, making it difficult for other healthcareproviders to recognize and act upon this need.
Moreover, the lack of formal training and standardized procedures for using this workaround hasexacerbated the problem. New and existing nurses in the Apple district receive minimal guidance onhow to correctly enter and retrieve this vital information, leading to variability in how it'sdocumented and increasing the risk of oversight. This inconsistency not only compromises patientsafety but also places a strain on the nurses, who must remember the correct process amidst theirother duties.