J Med Syst (2014) 38:9998 DOI 10.1007/s10916-013-9998-4
Systems, Technology and the Critical Need for Rigorous Evaluation Jesse M. Ehrenfeld
Published online: 14 December 2013 # Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013
Keywords Technology . Evaluation . Systems
Ralph R. Grams and The Journal of Medical Systems: 37 Years of Forward Looking Science In 1977, Ralph R. Grams M.D. founded the Journal of Medical Systems. A distinguished Professor of Pathology at the University of Florida, Dr. Grams has been a pioneer in the creation and development of laboratory and hospital information systems. For nearly four decades, he has guided the Journal into being the premier home for the presentation of the applications of new systems techniques, methods, and evaluation of technology across all health care settings. In his editorial accompanying the inaugural issue of the Journal, Dr. Grams wrote: “The astonishingly rapid development of modern health care delivery technology has created a pressing need for a new periodical that will collect, evaluate, and communicate our expanding knowledge and capabilities in the area … As we begin working, it is the intention of the Editor and Editorial Board to encourage reader participation toward a common and overriding end of improved patient care through the humane application of the multiplicity of powerful new technologies just now becoming available. We are convinced that our goal is not only eminently attainable, but that patient-care cost/benefit ratios can be markedly improved as we proceed.” [1]
J. M. Ehrenfeld (*) Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 1301 Medical Center Drive, Suite TVC 4648, Nashville, TN 37232, USA e-mail: [email protected]
These words still ring true, almost 40 years later, as the need to understand how technology impacts the systems of care in which we work and live, only increases. After guiding the Journal through the publication of 2,121 articles in a remarkable 200 issues, it is indeed a most humbling task, to continue Dr. Gram’s legacy by taking on the role of Editor-in-Chief.
The Journal of Medical Systems Revised Aims & Scope As the readership of the Journal expands, and the areas in which we are able to make important scientific contributions through publication of original research expand, I am pleased to present the new Aims and Scope for the Journal. The Journal of Medical Systems provides a forum for the presentation and discussion of the increasingly extensive applications of new information systems techniques and methods across all health care settings; The Journal has four sections focusing on mobile systems, systems level quality improvement, transaction processing systems, and patient facing systems. The Journal publishes informative articles, essays, and studies across the entire scale of medical systems, from large hospital programs to novel small-scale medical services. Education is an integral part of this amalgamation of sciences, and selected articles are published in this area. Along with this updated charge, over the next year we will be re-organizing the Journal into four primary sections: (1) a section on mobile systems, focusing on mobile systems, the evaluation and development of radio-frequency identification (RFID) and other types of location tracking systems, along with works assessing mobile applications; (2) a section on systems level quality improvement, focusing on systems engineering approaches to evaluating and solving problems in healthcare; (3) a section on transaction processing systems, focusing on systems that are transactional in nature
9998, Page 2 of 2
including laboratory, pathology, pharmacy and radiology systems; (4) a section on patient facing systems, focusing on systems that are primarily designed to interact with patients, including personal health information tools and patient portals.
J Med Syst (2014) 38:9998
has made, and through the Journal and its ongoing work, I hope to both commemorate and acknowledge his extraordinary legacy.
A Call for the Ongoing Evaluation of Medical Systems and Technology For the past several decades, the pace of technology adoption in healthcare has raced forward as the number of innovations impacting our ability to care for patients and improve the health of the world around us has exploded. With these changes and new advances, come important ramifications— in the form of both those we anticipate, and those we least expect. Critical in managing these changes, and continuously applying evidence to improve the systems in which healthcare practitioners function, lies the need to thoughtfully evaluate and quantify their impact. Only through the careful, methodical, and thoughtful measurement of the impact of these enhancements, can we ensure our patients are best served. The Journal will continuously seek to publish papers which advance our understanding of the intersection and interaction of technology and health care systems. In closing, I would like to thank our authors, reviewers, and Editorial Board members for making the Journal a reality. A special thanks to Ms. Desiree Grace Garriel, Ms. Laura Walsh, and the entire Springer team for their support and continuous efforts in publishing the Journal. And most importantly, I would like to thank Dr. Ralph Grams, for his tireless service in founding, guiding, and shepherding the Journal for so many years. Dr. Grams is a man to whom the scientific community owes a large debt of gratitude for the immeasurable impact he
Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, M.D., M.P.H. Editor‐in‐Chief, Journal of Medical Systems
References 1. Grams, R.R. Editorial. Journal of Medical Systems, Vol. 1, No. I, 1977.
Systems, Technology and the Critical Need for Rigorous Evaluation Jesse M. Ehrenfeld
Published online: 14 December 2013 # Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013
Keywords Technology . Evaluation . Systems
Ralph R. Grams and The Journal of Medical Systems: 37 Years of Forward Looking Science In 1977, Ralph R. Grams M.D. founded the Journal of Medical Systems. A distinguished Professor of Pathology at the University of Florida, Dr. Grams has been a pioneer in the creation and development of laboratory and hospital information systems. For nearly four decades, he has guided the Journal into being the premier home for the presentation of the applications of new systems techniques, methods, and evaluation of technology across all health care settings. In his editorial accompanying the inaugural issue of the Journal, Dr. Grams wrote: “The astonishingly rapid development of modern health care delivery technology has created a pressing need for a new periodical that will collect, evaluate, and communicate our expanding knowledge and capabilities in the area … As we begin working, it is the intention of the Editor and Editorial Board to encourage reader participation toward a common and overriding end of improved patient care through the humane application of the multiplicity of powerful new technologies just now becoming available. We are convinced that our goal is not only eminently attainable, but that patient-care cost/benefit ratios can be markedly improved as we proceed.” [1]
J. M. Ehrenfeld (*) Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 1301 Medical Center Drive, Suite TVC 4648, Nashville, TN 37232, USA e-mail: [email protected]
These words still ring true, almost 40 years later, as the need to understand how technology impacts the systems of care in which we work and live, only increases. After guiding the Journal through the publication of 2,121 articles in a remarkable 200 issues, it is indeed a most humbling task, to continue Dr. Gram’s legacy by taking on the role of Editor-in-Chief.
The Journal of Medical Systems Revised Aims & Scope As the readership of the Journal expands, and the areas in which we are able to make important scientific contributions through publication of original research expand, I am pleased to present the new Aims and Scope for the Journal. The Journal of Medical Systems provides a forum for the presentation and discussion of the increasingly extensive applications of new information systems techniques and methods across all health care settings; The Journal has four sections focusing on mobile systems, systems level quality improvement, transaction processing systems, and patient facing systems. The Journal publishes informative articles, essays, and studies across the entire scale of medical systems, from large hospital programs to novel small-scale medical services. Education is an integral part of this amalgamation of sciences, and selected articles are published in this area. Along with this updated charge, over the next year we will be re-organizing the Journal into four primary sections: (1) a section on mobile systems, focusing on mobile systems, the evaluation and development of radio-frequency identification (RFID) and other types of location tracking systems, along with works assessing mobile applications; (2) a section on systems level quality improvement, focusing on systems engineering approaches to evaluating and solving problems in healthcare; (3) a section on transaction processing systems, focusing on systems that are transactional in nature
9998, Page 2 of 2
including laboratory, pathology, pharmacy and radiology systems; (4) a section on patient facing systems, focusing on systems that are primarily designed to interact with patients, including personal health information tools and patient portals.
J Med Syst (2014) 38:9998
has made, and through the Journal and its ongoing work, I hope to both commemorate and acknowledge his extraordinary legacy.
A Call for the Ongoing Evaluation of Medical Systems and Technology For the past several decades, the pace of technology adoption in healthcare has raced forward as the number of innovations impacting our ability to care for patients and improve the health of the world around us has exploded. With these changes and new advances, come important ramifications— in the form of both those we anticipate, and those we least expect. Critical in managing these changes, and continuously applying evidence to improve the systems in which healthcare practitioners function, lies the need to thoughtfully evaluate and quantify their impact. Only through the careful, methodical, and thoughtful measurement of the impact of these enhancements, can we ensure our patients are best served. The Journal will continuously seek to publish papers which advance our understanding of the intersection and interaction of technology and health care systems. In closing, I would like to thank our authors, reviewers, and Editorial Board members for making the Journal a reality. A special thanks to Ms. Desiree Grace Garriel, Ms. Laura Walsh, and the entire Springer team for their support and continuous efforts in publishing the Journal. And most importantly, I would like to thank Dr. Ralph Grams, for his tireless service in founding, guiding, and shepherding the Journal for so many years. Dr. Grams is a man to whom the scientific community owes a large debt of gratitude for the immeasurable impact he
Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, M.D., M.P.H. Editor‐in‐Chief, Journal of Medical Systems
References 1. Grams, R.R. Editorial. Journal of Medical Systems, Vol. 1, No. I, 1977.
