Healthcare Informatics: The Subject, the Challenges, the Opportunities

Prof. Khalid Moidu, M.D, Ph.D.
Prof. Farokh Alemi, Ph.D.
College of Health & Human Services
George Mason University

Abstract

The Department of Health Administration and Policy in the College of Health and Human Services has a focus area on Health Information Systems. Professor Alemi leads the focus area and has been at GMU since 1988. Dr. Khalid Moidu joined GMU this term. The goal of this seminar is to present the subject area, identify common areas of interest, and identify potential collaborations in academic and research pursuits.

The delivery of care is an intensive information exchange process of area. The early researchers in computer science did work in healthcare, as large data sets were available. The most significant and recognized work was in the area of database development of DB2 in its early flavor by IBM working with the Scottish Health Authority. Then in the area of Artificial; Intelligence the early work Buchanan when applied by Shortliffe in MYCIN made rule-based systems an approach to provide physicians guidance. Today we see many approaches applied to decision support systems. As an industry vertical the area of healthcare has lagged behind all other sectors due to the high degree of complexity based on the array of exceptions that occur at all levels in delivery healthcare.

The speakers at the seminar together will present as topics of discussion:

*** Healthcare Informatics
- Share the definitions and present the fine distinction between Biomedical Informatics and Bioinformatics.

*** Healthcare: an overview
- To present the data capture and decision support opportunities for IT solutions

*** Information Systems in Healthcare: Current State

*** The Challenges
- Standards, Interoperability, Security, Data warehouse to support Decision Support and Data mining.

*** Our Research Interests
- Mobile Device Support
- Security Services for Healthcare Applications.

*** Opportunities for Students with expertise in Healthcare Informatics: Opportunity for Joint Programs.