Mapping the information resources available to patients with colorectal cancer

The objectives of this study were to identify gaps in information provision along the colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment pathway as provided by health services within the North Eastern Metropolitan Integrated Cancer Service in Victoria Australia; to evaluate the information and recommend consistent, high quality health information resources; and to recommend strategies to improve delivery of patient information. A random sample of health professionals (n= 47) from various disciplines at eight health service sites participated in semi-structured interviews regarding the types of information they provided to CRC patients. Information items were mapped against a published CRC patient management framework and evaluated. A total of 193 information items were collected with 24 items specific to CRC. Gaps in information provision were evident in the community, at diagnosis, in clinics, when treatment was determined and when completed. The quality of information delivery to CRC patients across the public health sites was variable. Resources were often unavailable, out of date and inaccessible in other languages. Results indicate a need to improve health information availability and resource delivery to all CRC patients across different health services particularly at diagnosis and after treatment. Further research is required to determine patient preferences for information about CRC.

Parrot interpreter : representation, extinction and the electronic information environment

Carter discusses insights and ideas on and about parrots, based on his book of the same name. Parrot understanding is an understanding of the critical role noise plays in binding man together, and in relating to the external world whose resistance to translation is not a source of anxiety but a phenomenon respectfully to embrace. Moreover, the most remarkable thing about parrot is not perhaps that it speaks but that it listens.

Mobile technology platforms for flexible access to information resources : considerations in the use of ebook readers, smart phones, netbooks and iPads

Smart phones are everywhere, people are taking eBook readers on holiday, the iPad has queues of people wanting to buy one, and some netbooks can fit in a pocket. The technology is attractive and increasingly affordable – how can it help an individual in their access to and use of texts, journals, databases, clinical sources, the web and day-to-day information? The Library has been investigating and trialling mobile devices during 2010, and has received interesting feedback from staff and students on the effectiveness of the technology in the University and personal environments. Each device has its strengths and weaknesses depending on the needs of the individual or activity it is supporting – productivity, research, study, clinical or recreational. The presentation will explore these issues along with some of the practical implications at Deakin, and international experiences in academic environments.

Digitisation and copyright compliance for course materials and library reserve materials at Deakin University

A digitisation effort employed by Deakin University Library has proven to be of great benefit to its distance and lifelong learners. This paper discusses issues involved with digitisation and copyright compliance issues associated with producing electronic information resources made available to distance and lifelong learners at Deakin University. The authors discus the balance between print and e-reserves, the differences in course-pack content and electronic reserves and the copyright compliance issues that regulate fair access. Budgetary concerns, in terms of staff time, computer equipment were weighed to determine efficiency. The project was carried out in several phases, beginning with the digitisation of class notes, exams, class presentations, and finally with the materials covered within copyright regulations. A respective project would complete the project. It was found that there was a significant financial savings in the digitisation of electronic reserves, yet the main goal was to better serve the remote user with enhanced access. Relevant screenshots and bibliography are included. M. Thomas.

Critical factors for electronic commerce success in small business : a meta study

Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) contribute significantly to the national economies and to the employment levels of different countries and represent a viable source for inventions and innovations. The recent emergence of electronic commerce in the early nineties could provide different opportunities to the small business sector to overcome its inadequacies. However, in view of the electronic commerce/business (EC) literature in organisations in general and in SMEs specifically, it was observed that EC research is scarce. Therefore, this research attempts, by reviewing relevant EC literature, to develop deeper understanding about the factors influencing EC success in SMEs. The researcher found the following issues significantly influence EC success in SMEs: e-Value, e-Cost, e-Transformation, e-Product, e-Nvolvement, e-Nnovativeness, e-Competition, external e-Support, and e-Pressure. These factors are of importance to researchers, SMEs, professionals including educational institutions and policymakers in driving SMEs and EC forward.

Providing information for business: government strategy for the online world

Governments assume a major role in providing information resources for business as a way of promoting national development. This has proven to be a much more demanding task than one might suppose, given the diversity and complexity of business needs and the limitation of government resources for undertaking the task. This chapter will: (1) identify the challenges posed for government online business information strategies, (2) discuss research relating to the information strategy of one Australian government agency to support export development among small business, and (3) set out a framework for government online information provision in a diverse industry context. Coordination of the many government information services remains a challenge, especially among different levels of government. Well-designed strategies can improve the usability of online information and the efficiency of government information services.

Information security, cyber crime, and infrastructure protection : information security management within Australian healthcare organisations

Information security is now recognised as critical factor within the healthcare industry. With the gradual move from paper -based to electronic information there is an even greater need for protection. However, financial and operational constraints often exist which influence the practicality of developing a secure system. A new baseline security standard, the Health Information Security Management Implementation Guide, has been drafted which applies specifically to the unique information security requirements of the healthcare industry. The aim of this paper is to look at the effectiveness of the health information security standard and the development of information security within the Australian healthcare industry.

Information warfare: using the viable system model as a framework to attack organisations

Information is the glue in any organization. It is needed for policy, decision-making, control, and co-ordination. If an organisation's information systems are disrupted or destroyed, then damage to the whole inevitably follows. This paper uses a proven systemic, analytic framework the Viable System Model (VSM) - in a functionalist mode, to analyse the vulnerabilities of an organisation's information resources to this form of aggression. It examines the tactics available, and where they can be used to effectively attack an organisation.

Shaping a more inclusive learning environment

This Project began as a Higher Education Equity Program Funding Application in March 1999, titled 'Electronic Provision of Information Resources to Students who have a Print Disability.'
Since 1999, mainstreaming of the project objectives has enhanced the access to higher education at Deakin University by students who have a print disability. Our objectives were and are:
• to integrate the provision of information resources to students who have a print disability with procedures already in place for providing information resources to other students
• to provide teaching materials electronically to empower independent learning
• to make information resources on reading lists more accessible to university students who have a print disability
• to establish a mechanism to obtain materials electronically from publishers
A growing number of people who have a print disability use computer technology to access electronic information. This paper will describe the policies, workflows, and procedures that have been implemented at Deakin University, specifically within the Learning Services area, to shape a more inclusive learning environment.

The need for best practice standards in electronic governance of patient medical records to facilitate innovation

Background : Optimising the use of electronic data offers many opportunities to health services, particularly in rural and remote areas. These include reducing the effect of distance on access to clinical information and sharing information where there are multiple service providers for a single patient. The increasing compilation of large electronic databases of patient information and the ease with which electronic information can be transferred has raised concerns about the privacy and confidentiality of such records.
Aims & rationale/Objectives : This review aims to identify legal and ethical standards for areas of electronic governance where a lack of clarity may currently impede innovation in health service delivery.
Methods : This paper describes best practices for storage and transfer of electronic patient data based on an examination of Australian legislative requirements and a review of a number of current models. This will firstly allow us to identify basic legal requirements of electronic governance as well as areas of ambiguity not fully addressed by legislation. An examination of current models will suggest recommendations for best practice in areas lacking sufficient legal guidance.
Principal findings : We have identified the following four areas of importance, and shall discuss relevant details:
1) Patients' right of ownership to electronic patient records. 2) Custodial issues with data stored in centralised health care institutions 3) IT Security, including hierarchical level access, data encryption, data transfer standards and physical security 4) Software applications usage.
Discussion : Our examination of several models of best practice for the transfer of electronic patient data, both in Australia and internationally, identifies and clarifies many unresolved issues of electronic governance. This paper will also inform future policy in this area.
Implications : Clarification will facilitate the future development of beneficial technology-based innovations by rural health services.
Presentation type : Poster

The education and information needs of young adults with type 2 diabetes : a qualitative study

Aims and objectives. To identify the preferred content and delivery mode of education information for people aged 25 to 45 with type 2 diabetes to enable them to effectively self-manage their diabetes.

Background. People with type 2 diabetes are required to manage their own health and initiate behavioural changes. Self-management education and resources have typically been targeted at people aged 50 years and older. Little is known about the concerns and needs of younger people in managing type 2 diabetes, which are likely to be different from those of older people.

Design. A qualitative design was considered the most appropriate to elicit participants' views and perceptions of their type 2 diabetes information needs.

Methods. Data were obtained from one focus group (n = 9) and telephone interviews (n = 4) with people aged 25 to 45 with type 2 diabetes conducted in 2008.

Results. Implicit in participants' responses was their need to be active partners in managing their diabetes. Participants wanted information that is easy to understand, brief, consistent, age-specific and about a number of topics that are not adequately covered at present. They wanted a centralised source of information and a range of delivery mode options. Participants expressed some ambivalence about the Internet as a source of information. Participants also wanted age-specific group sessions, support from peers, psychological support, increased understanding of type 2 diabetes in the community, and a focus on preventing diabetes.

Conclusions. Young people with type 2 diabetes have specific diabetes needs and preferred information delivery modes. Participants felt current diabetes education programs do not cater specifically to their age group. Education and information resources need to be developed for the target group, addressing their content and format preferences.

Relevance to clinical practice. Health professionals need to utilise appropriate delivery modes and include information relevant to younger people when providing education information to young adults with type 2 diabetes.

Using quantitative and qualitative unit profiling for identifying the contribution of library resources to teaching quality

This paper presents the development and application of a new methodology incorporating both quantitative and qualitative profiling to help discern the characteristics of units of study that are the differentiators of student ratings of library resource quality. From the sub-set of those units with an ‘unremarkable’ rating for teaching quality, those units with the ‘extreme’ library resource quality ratings were selected for investigation. Examination of the handbook descriptions for those units suggests that units of study which explicitly incorporate student interaction with the wider literature and other information resources beyond those provided within the unit environment may lead students to engage with the library in deeper ways that highlight the value of library resources, and hence lead to higher mean ratings of library resource quality. This finding suggests potential areas for intervention to enhance student perceptions of the quality of library resources.

Data protection and privacy: the Australian legislation and its implications for IT professionals

The notion of privacy takes on a completely different meaning when viewed from the perspective of an IT professional, an organisation using technology to support strategic directions or a member of the public. This paper looks past the technical issues involved in data protection and examines some of the business, social and regulatory aspects that have become important to those involved in the management, storage and dissemination of electronic information. The paper documents some of the legislative developments in privacy and data protection and examines what these developments mean for IT professionals for whom the link between data captured, stored and processed into information and the resulting effect on privacy is important. The Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988 based on work done by the Council of Europe, the OECD and the European Union provides some general guidelines but only for the public sector. However, new legislation imminent. Thus, IT professionals need to be aware of the changing situation and examine their organisation’s current practices to ensure compliance with future laws.