Abstract
Cancer information and surveillance, historically conducted with manual data collection and submission, are viewed increasingly as inherently dependent on the effective application of information science. One challenge is to use information technology (IT) in a manner that improves cancer-related decision-making and ultimately the quality of care that is offered to patients with cancer. In this article we begin by envisioning a future view of IT-supported surveillance and care that can be made available for application in cancer and its management. We then ask what barriers need to be overcome and what forces are at work that may help us in our efforts to effect the necessary changes. Our future vision for surveillance and information, although appealing and widely shared, requires major cultural change, financial investment, and logistical planning. Competition in the medical marketplace, coupled with fiscal pressures affecting providers and health systems, suggests that leadership for regional and national coordination will need to come from elsewhere—and likely from governments.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
Sources include, for example, prevention guidelines from the CDC including recommended immunization schedules for children; the Preventive Services Task Force guidelines; American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute; the US Department of Health and Human Services Healthy People objectives and many more. Medline Plus from the National Library of Medicine is another popular resource intended for use by the public.
References
Shortliffe EH (1993) Doctors, patients, and computers: Will information technology dehumanize health care delivery? Proc Am Phil Soc 137(3):390–398
Shortliffe EH, Cimino JJ (eds) (2006) Biomedical informatics: computer applications in health care and biomedicine. Springer, New York
The computer-based patient record: An essential technology for health care. Institute of Medicine. National Academy Press, Washington, DC; 1991; revised 1997
For the record: Protecting electronic health information. National Research Council. National Academy Press, Washington, DC; 1997
Networking health: Prescriptions for the Internet. National Research Council. National Academy Press, Washington DC; 2000
Fostering rapid advances in health care: Learning from system demonstrations. Institute of Medicine. National Academy Press, Washington, DC; 2002
To err is human: Building a safer health system. Institute of Medicine. National Academy Press, Washington, DC; 2000
Crossing the quality chasm: A new health system for the 21st century. National Academy Press, Washington, DC. Institute of Medicine 2001
Patient safety: Achieving a new standard for care. Institute of Medicine. National Academy Press, Washington, DC; 2004
Information for health: A strategy for building the national health information infrastructure. Workgroup on the NHII. National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics, Washington, DC; 2001
Transforming health care through information technology. Panel on Transforming Health Care. President’s Information Technology Advisory Committee (PITAC). Report to the President. National Coordinating Office for IT Research and Development, Washington, DC; 2001
Revolutionizing health care through information technology. Panel on Transforming Health Care. President’s Information Technology Advisory Committee (PITAC). Report to the President. National Coordinating Office for IT Research and Development, Washington, DC; 2004
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Shortliffe, E.H., Sondik, E.J. The public health informatics infrastructure: anticipating its role in cancer. Cancer Causes Control 17, 861–869 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-006-0028-4
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-006-0028-4