Dissertation
Supporting information sharing in emergency medical settings: a study of the pre-hospital information space
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Drexel University
Dec 2016
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-7121
Abstract
The goal of trauma resuscitation is to rapidly stabilize a critically injured patient. Timely and accurate dissemination of information from the pre-hospital staff is a critical first step towards achieving this goal. Information about incoming patients collected in the field and en route serves a critical role in helping emergency medical teams at the point of care prepare for patient care. Despite many efforts, inefficiencies persist. This dissertation examines the communication and work practices of emergency medical teams as they provide care to critically injured patients, with an emphasis on how real- time patient information is shared and how common understanding of this information is established between these teams, and what challenges exist for achieving efficient pre- hospital information sharing. In doing so, this study drew on the concept of Common Information Spaces (CIS) to guide data collection and analysis. Through multiple field studies, we identified six high-level information categories communicated between emergency medical teams in the field and those at the hospital. Our results showed that this communication process is semi-structured. We also identified a set of challenges that emergency medical teams faced in achieving efficient information sharing and coordination, including difficulties in locating and assembling team members, communicating and interpreting information from the field, and reconciling differences in team perspectives and information needs, all while having minimal technology support. These findings inform the design of an integrated system for real-time information sharing in complex and dynamic emergency medical setting. Reflecting on the process of applying the CIS framework to pre-hospital information space, we suggest future development of CIS as an analytical framework by adding two new parameters-the scalability of collaboration and the multiplicity of information spaces. We also extend the classic CSCW time-space matrix by adding work practice as a new dimension. The outcomes of this study have potential uses for researchers interested in designing and developing information technologies for distributed and interdisciplinary teams working in time- and safety-critical settings. This research also contributes to the advancement of knowledge about coordination work and human information behavior in high-risk, distributed work settings.
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Details
- Title
- Supporting information sharing in emergency medical settings
- Creators
- Zhan Zhang - DU
- Contributors
- Aleksandra Sarcevic (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Information Science (Informatics) (2013-2026); College of Computing and Informatics (2013-2026); Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 7121; 991014632312404721