Gero-Informatics

Gero-informatics (sometimes termed Geroinformatics) is the development, application, and study of health informatics in geriatrics. Whereas gerontechnology refers to "matching technological environments to health, housing, mobility, communication, leisure and work of older people", gero-informatics concerns the role of information, information systems, and information technology in geriatric medicine and geriatrics care. It includes aspects of electronic health records, personal health records, and telehealth. [Citation
first=M
last=Weiner
first2=CM
last2=Callahan
first3=WM
last3=Tierney
first4=JM
last4=Overhage
first5=B
last5=Mamlin
first6=PR
last6=Dexter
first7=CJ
last7=McDonald
title=Using information technology to improve the healthcare of older adults
year=2003
volume=139
journal=Annals of Internal Medicine
url=http://www.annals.org/
pages=430-436
accessdate = 2007-08-24]

Gero-informatics is part of health informatics but focuses on areas of informatics that are specific to geriatrics. This is necessary, because implementation of clinical informatics at many medical institutions has often excluded, or insufficiently addressed, information about older patients. For example, electronic health records infrequently have comprehensive ways to represent the following kinds of data.
* Advance directives
* Physical functional status
* Cognitive status
* Patients' preferences for care
* Key information about caregivers

In addition, better clinical decision support is needed to address routine preventive and medical care of older adults.

History

Current trends

In 2006, commercial developments in gero-informatics focused on tools for remote monitoring, such as for older adults living alone with distant caregivers.

See also

* Gerontechnology
* Gerontology
* Geriatrics

Further Reading

* Shortliffe EH, Cimino JJ eds. Biomedical Informatics: Computer Applications in Health Care and Biomedicine (3rd edition). New York: Springer, 2006
* Olmeda, Christopher J. (2000). Information Technology in Systems of Care. Delfin Press. ISBN 978-0-9821442-0-6
* Donald E. Knuth. Selected Papers on Computer Science, CSLI Publications, Cambridge Univ. Press, 1996
* National Institute of Clinical Excellence, Principles of Best Practice in Clinical Audit. London: NICE, 2002. (ISBN 1-85775-976-1)
* Payne PR, Greaves AW, Kipps TJ., CRC Clinical Trials Management System (CTMS): an integrated information management solution for collaborative clinical research, AMIA Annu Symp Proc. 2003;:967.

References

External links

* [http://gerontologist.gerontologyjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/36/1/100 Gero-informatics and the Internet]
* [http://geriatrics.indiana.edu/geroinformatics/ Indiana University Gero-informatics]
* [http://www.americangeriatrics.org American Geriatrics Society]