Research Question and the Four Steps of the DIKW Continuum
The research question that will be reviewed within the framework of the future study revolves around the efficiency of health information technology in terms of improving patient outcomes, patient satisfaction, and the overall quality of health care. This particular research question is rather relevant because it reflects the dynamic nature of both healthcare environment and technology innovations. Even though there are no particular relations between its elements, the four steps of the DIKW Continuum are also in line with the research question because the researcher is going to implement a specific theory in order to generate meaningful knowledge (Rutherford, 2008).
Only a combination of the DIKW framework and another theory is required if one expects to reach positive outcomes. In order to support this statement, we can address the issue outlined in the research question by a practical approach to the problems inherent in the implementation of health information technology in practice and its implications for both health care providers and patients. The outcomes here will have to be identified by means of patient feedback regarding possible adverse consequences of the use of technology.
Within the framework of this paper, the Transitions theory can be applied so as to highlight the ultimate transition from outdated healthcare environments to the ones that function on the basis of numerous health information technologies and spark patients’ interest. The utilization of this theory can also be supported by the dynamics of nursing occupation and numerous transitions that are experienced by health care providers throughout their careers. The concepts of the DIKW continuum are fully supported by the Transitions theory and can help the researcher analyze the impact of information technology on the process of providing care and patient outcomes.
Databases, Search Queries, and the Process of Turning Information into Knowledge
The researcher was interested in identifying the most comprehensive databases that would contain the information regarding the topic of health information technology. In terms of search criteria and the number of articles, Google Scholar proved to be the most efficient instrument featuring an all-inclusive array of journal articles.
The researcher used search words such as “health information technology,” “health information technology efficiency,” “the use of health information technology,” “patient-centered care and health information technology,” and other similar search queries. Overall, this information can be turned into knowledge through meta-analysis and synthesis of all the findings. The researcher expects to find all the necessary info and conduct a project that will answer the research question that was posed at the beginning of the paper.
How Can Informatics Be Used to Gain Wisdom in Relation to the Research Question?
One of the ways to gain wisdom while applying informatics within healthcare environments is to come up with innovations that will focus on patients rather than health care providers. This is important because the implementation of such health information technologies requires profound knowledge on the subject and providers should possess certain professional skills that will enable high-level care.
Moreover, the deployment of health information technologies in practice can positively affect the attitudes of the patients’ family members and provide them with an understanding of how the system works. All the health-related activities will be facilitated and this, in turn, will help the providers to focus on the patient instead of wasting time on the activities that do not contribute to the patient’s positive outcomes. On a bigger scale, the development of a patient-centered approach based on health information technology will heavily influence the four steps of the DIKW framework because it is expected to impact the patients’ behaviors and skills as well.
Aligning the technical innovations with the needs of patients will allow the health care providers to engage patients in the process of treatment even more and both parties will be able to prioritize various activities regarding treatment plan more effectively. Within the framework of this research, the investigator expects to generate new knowledge regarding the ways in which patients can be involved in the treatment process and how information technologies can facilitate that process.
On a bigger scale, the researcher is interested in translating the existing data regarding patient involvedness into a novel patient-centered information technology application design. It is safe to say that the improvements in patient-provider approach heavily depend on the current innovations in the field of information technology. The DIKW model will help the researcher to identify ways in which technologies can be implemented in practice and integrated into the patients’ everyday lives. Another critical point of this model is that it can be deployed within a community-based setting which allows health care providers to support self-care by means of technology.
One of the key improvements in terms of wisdom transmission is the increased responsiveness that is documented in Valdez, Holden, Novak, and Veinot’s (2014) research. The perspectives of health information technology development still have to be researched further so as to leverage the full potential of the DIKW model and any other improvements that transpire within the healthcare environment.
References
Rutherford, M. (2008). Standardized nursing language: What does it mean for nursing practice? ANA Periodicals, 13(1), 2-18. Web.
Valdez, R. S., Holden, R. J., Novak, L. L., & Veinot, T. C. (2014). Transforming consumer health informatics through a patient work framework: Connecting patients to context. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 22(1), 2-10. Web.