Question

A software system is to be developed to manage the records of patients who enter a clinic for treatment. The records include records of all regular patient monitoring (temperature, blood pressure, etc.), treatments given, patient reactions and so on. After treatment, the records of their stay are sent to the patient’s doctor who maintains their complete medical record. Identify the principal viewpoints which might be taken into account in the specification of this system and organise these using a viewpoint hierarchy diagram.

Short answer

Identify stakeholders, define their viewpoints, organize these into a hierarchy, and construct a hierarchy diagram.

Step-by-step solution

Identify Stakeholders

Identify all the parties involved with the system, such as patients, doctors, nurses, administrative staff, IT staff, and the clinic management team. These stakeholders interact with the system and have specific needs and priorities.

Define Viewpoints

For each stakeholder, determine the relevant viewpoint that needs to be considered for the system specification. For example, patients want accurate records and privacy, while doctors require efficient access to patient history, and IT staff prioritize system reliability and security.

Organize Viewpoints

Create a hierarchy diagram to structure these viewpoints based on their relationships and importance. For instance, at the top of the hierarchy could be the Management Viewpoint, followed by Medical and Operations Viewpoints, under which you would place specific sub-viewpoints like Patient, Doctor, and Nurse.

Construct Hierarchy Diagram

Draw the actual hierarchy diagram starting with broad categories and narrowing down to specific viewpoints. Use nodes to represent the main and sub-viewpoints, showing the levels of hierarchy and how each relates to others. This visually organizes the various stakeholders’ perspectives into a coherent framework.

Key concepts

Stakeholder Identification

Identifying stakeholders is a crucial step in the system design process. In the context of healthcare information systems, stakeholders are those individuals or groups who either directly interact with the system or have a vested interest in its success. In our scenario, the key stakeholders include:

• Patients: They are the end-users of the system and their records are the primary focus.
• Doctors: They need quick and effective access to patient data to provide ongoing care.
• Nurses: These frontline workers enter and update patient information regularly.
• Administrative Staff: They handle the operational aspects and patient scheduling.
• IT Staff: They ensure the system is technically sound, secure, and reliable.
• Clinic Management Team: They oversee the entire system, focusing on efficiency and compliance.

Each of these stakeholders come with unique priorities and expectations from the system. Understanding their needs is essential for designing a system that truly meets the comprehensive requirements of a healthcare operation.
Ensuring that each stakeholder's needs are considered leads to a system that is efficient, user-friendly, and effective.

Viewpoint Hierarchy

After identifying stakeholders, the next step is defining viewpoints. Viewpoints are the perspectives each stakeholder has towards the system. A viewpoint hierarchy helps organize these perspectives, allowing us to see the relationships and prioritize accordingly. In our healthcare information system, a typical hierarchy might look like this:

• Management Viewpoint: Encompasses overall system and operational goals.
• Medical Viewpoint: Includes sub-viewpoints such as Doctor and Nurse, focusing on data accessibility and clinical accuracy.
• Operations Viewpoint: Covers administrative efficiency and patient scheduling managed by administrative staff.
• Technical Viewpoint: Ensures system security, reliability, and maintenance by IT staff.

Creating a hierarchy chart helps in visualizing the layers of interest and importance among different stakeholder viewpoints.
This serves as a roadmap for addressing diverse expectations while maintaining the overall system goals.

System Specification

System specification involves detailing the functional and non-functional requirements of the system. For the healthcare information system under discussion, system specification might include:

• Functional Requirements:
  • Record management for patient data including monitoring, treatment, and history.
  • Access control to ensure data privacy and security.
  • Data update and retrieval functionalities for easy operation by medical staff.
• Non-Functional Requirements:
  • System reliability to ensure uninterrupted service.
  • Data integrity and backup solutions to prevent data loss.
  • Usability for a wide range of users with varying degrees of technical knowledge.

By defining these specifications clearly, the development team can ensure that the system meets its intended purpose.
This also helps in streamlining the design, development, and testing phases.

Healthcare Information Systems

Healthcare information systems (HIS) are specialized applications designed to manage healthcare data. These systems facilitate an organized flow of information and ensure high standards of care. They are critical for:

• Improving Patient Care: By providing quick access to patient records, healthcare professionals can make informed decisions, offering more personalized treatment.
• Enhancing Efficiency: Automating administrative tasks reduces the workload on staff, allowing them to focus on patient care.
• Ensuring Compliance: HIS helps maintain compliance with healthcare regulations and standards by ensuring data privacy and accuracy.
• Data Analysis: Facilitates the collection and analysis of large sets of patient data for improved treatment protocols and healthcare outcomes.

These systems are indispensable in modern healthcare settings, as they streamline operations, enhance patient outcomes, and support best practice healthcare delivery. Understanding the core components and functionalities of HIS allows stakeholders to utilize these tools to their fullest potential.