SYSTEM INTERFACES AND DESIGN
The need to have patient navigation capability is an important aspect for any cancer center. There are many benefits that are associated with the development of this database. Having the system integrated to the corporate information system will have connectivity issues with the wider Cancer Center Network. Having a database that will help to navigate the patient information will save the nurses from having to wait for longer periods of time. This is an important aspect that will improve the business process of the cancer center personnel. There will also be better management of the patient data. With the growth of information systems, there has been the need to have systems that are separate that serve a given smaller group of staff in order to increase the efficiency of the smaller group of people. It is important to understand that with the growth of information systems, and the increase of data in an organization, there will be increased time that will be used to search for patients.
Database design is an important step in this issue of managing the communication with the patients of cancer at the Kansas Cancer Center. With automations that have been integrated into healthcare organizations, it is hard to have modules that are dedicated to the navigation of patient information. It is strategic to have a module that will be used to manage cancer patients. It is important to have database designs which will ensure that there is optimal use of the patient data that will increase the connectivity of the patients with the cancer center. This will enhance the proximity of the patients to the care providers.
The database design of the patient navigation will have the logo that has been used in the overall information system that has been used for the overall information system in the hospital. If there is an overall system that manages the interaction and the management of the patient data within the organization, it will be important to have a way in which there will be connectivity of the two systems. This will ensure that there is synchronization of the patient data between the two systems. The organization of the data will have to be done in a clean and in a manner that has not been interrupted. There is also a need to ensure that the data access controls that are simple and will access the data repository with ease. The interface should be simple and easy to understand what the user requires from the database. This will enable the users to navigate the database with ease. There should be no use of complex mnemonics in the design of the database. It is important to understand the environment and the knowledge of most of the users who will make use of the database. With the different users, there should be simplicity and the integration of the different roles in the database. The interface design should not be difficult for many users. It should be simple for many users.
The patient navigation database will be developed basing on three basic design principles which include visualization, efficiency, and functionality. With the integration of these elements to the database, it will be possible to undertake the searches and navigation with the use of the application tool. Searching cancer patients will be simpler and easier to use.
Visualization
One feature that has been integrated to the database tool for the database is to have a user interface that is devoid of many graphics which makes the usability of the database tool to be effective and easy to search. The most important element that was added to the user is the use of breadcrumbs. This is the ability to know where user is located on the system that they are using. It is important to advise the user on the way the database has been designed. Another principle that will be used in the design of the system is to have the system in such a manner that the functionalities of the system were grouped approximately to one another.
Another design principle that will be undertaken is the use of functionalities that are related being on one area. This is done with the use of grouping features of the user interface design. This will ensure that the items like search and other queries will be grouped together. The processes like delete, drop, or replace will be grouped under the same category. This is an important feature that has been considered in the design. This was achieved with the use of whitespaces so that the main control panel will have a professional look.
Efficiency
Another consideration that was undertaken in the design of the database was to make sure that there was ease of use of the database tool. Compared to interfaces of other systems, the design was made to be simple because it was used for some isolated purposes and was not meant to be cluttered with much functionality. This was to be used for searching, locating and monitoring the progress of the cancer patients. All other complicated details would be found in bigger systems which are used by the hospital as a whole. It is important to understand this principle. Simplicity is easily achieved if the main and important features are included in the database tool. Only features that would be used in the search will be included in the design of the tool. This will ensure that the database tool will be available. Any other functionality that will be added to the main panel of the database tool will bring unnecessary delays. This was avoided as much as possible.
Functionality
The design of the database tool for navigating the cancer patient information was designed with the idea to have an easier way to navigate through the large collection of patient information. The navigation was enabled and enhanced with the use of search queries that is integrated in many database management tools. The database tool was integrated with the graphical user interface that has been integrated with many modern database management systems. They are useful for all types of users on the system. It is important to have these systems and management systems as they help to make the navigation with simple moves by the users who are nurses.
It was also important to have a design that was predictable. This is another feature that drove the design of the database. This was achieved through ensuring that the users would be able to understand what was needed in the design without having to work hard to understand the design.
Data processing capabilities
The data processing and needs of the database was also an issue that needed concern and enhancement. It was important to understand the needs of the users of the database so that the queries would be designed with ease. In most cases, there is the use of system analysts who will be required to understand information that is required in the design of the backend of the database. The user interface was not as complicated and time-consuming as the front-end. One of the requirements that were considered when defining the queries is what is required and the transactions that are considered to be important in a cancer center. In healthcare organizations, the information regarding patients will entail the names of the patients and the history of the patients regarding the health. This is the information that was used to design the backend of the database tool. This was an important issue and management practice that was made in the database management tool.
Prototype
The database tool was built with the use of system that has been developed for the general capabilities of the cancer center. The prototype that was used, in this case, is that of the search capabilities of the overall system that is used in the Kansas Cancer Center. With the use of this prototype, many of the features were copied from it so that the database tool would have the features that are required in the database design. This is an important aspect of the design of the database.
Feedback from the users
It was important to understand the feedback from the users and the sponsor of the database tool. From the research, it was important to understand what the users wanted and if these were achieved. The beta version of the program was given to the sponsor and to some users. The users accepted the program and wee happy with most of the features.
