ABSTRACT

Information and knowledge represent important organisational assets. In healthcare environments, patient wellbeing depends on effective management of these assets. This paper describes junior doctors’ perspectives of adverse consequences of ineffective information and knowledge management (IKM) practices. The research for this phenomenological study consisted of semi-structured interviews with ten junior doctors in public hospitals in Adelaide, South Australia. The reasons for ineffective IKM include limited access to information, inadequate clinical handover, inappropriate use of information systems, and incomplete documentation. Adverse medical events resulting from ineffective IKM practices include medication errors, delays in patient care or discharge, poor post-discharge care, confidentiality breaches, acting against patient wishes, disability or even death. Junior doctors regard health information systems and access to electronic patient medical records as important for improving IKM. Behaviour of staff often results in ineffective IKM and the paper suggests that an IKM-focused culture should be driven by hospital management.

摘要

信息和知识是重要的组织资产。在医疗保健环境中，患者的健康取决于对这些资产的有效管理。本文描述了初级医生对无效信息和知识管理 (IKM) 实践的不良后果的看法。这项现象学研究的研究包括对南澳大利亚阿德莱德公立医院的十名初级医生进行半结构化访谈。IKM 无效的原因包括信息访问受限、临床交接不充分、信息系统使用不当以及文档不完整。无效的 IKM 实践导致的不良医疗事件包括用药错误、患者护理或出院延误、出院后护理不佳、违反保密规定、违背患者意愿行事、残疾甚至死亡。初级医生认为健康信息系统和访问电子病历对于提高 IKM 很重要。员工的行为通常会导致无效的 IKM，该论文建议以 IKM 为中心的文化应该由医院管理层驱动。