Dag Von Lubitz

Healthcare and technology: the doctrine of networkcentric healthcare.

Worldwide costs and the disparity between healthcare in the Western world and the developing countries increase exponentially. Increased involvement of ICT allows, in similarity to the military, a transition from platformcentric to more cohesive and collaborative networkcentric operations. In the information-intensive environment of healthcare, the networkcentric approach allows free and rapid sharing of information and effective knowledge building required for the development of coherent objectives and their rapid attainment. We suggest that the application of the proposed networkcentric doctrine is arguably the best chance of changing the way healthcare is accessed, provided and managed both nationally and across the globe.

Creating germane knowledge in dynamic environments

Todays dynamic business environment requires germane knowledge to ensure that organisations are prepared for the future and ready to meet sudden challenges. At present, knowledge creation techniques tend to focus on either human or technology aspects of organisational development. However, the complexity of a global business environment necessitates transformational rather than linear development of knowledge that is centred on a broad-based (holistic) knowledge creation approach. The paper discusses the concept of knowledge creation that underscores the significance of nonlinear, interdomain thinking based on fast extraction and processing of information derived from a rapidly changing operational environment.

Dynamic leadership in unstable and unpredictable environments

Effective leadership requires the combination of highly developed cognitive skills, a broad-base of knowledge and the prudent application of both to a given situation. In unstable and unpredictable environments, leaders are forced to be decisive, making decisions that have far-reaching consequences. However, they neither have the luxury of time nor complete information to facilitate rapid decision-making. This paper discusses how it is possible for a leader to be both prepared and ready for operating in complex environments with success through the application of Boyds OODA loop and consequent OODA thinking.

Networkcentric healthcare and bioinformatics: Unified operations within three domains of knowledge

Bioinformatics is a rapidly developing field of quantitative biomedical research with the potential to transform the three principle domains within healthcare operations of research, clinical practice and administration. Presently, a significant part of bioinformatics research concentrates on genomics and proteomics. Despite growing clinical enthusiasm for the discoveries and creation of new information and knowledge that such research brings, current results are still outside the daily clinical reality. As a measure to close the gap and integrate bioinformatics into the rest of the healthcare domains, the authors propose a networkcentric approach. Based on operations within the unified space created by the overlap of three domains of knowledge, networkcentric healthcare operations support free information flow among all constituents (actors) within the healthcare space, rapid generation and exchange of pertinent knowledge, as well as enhanced awareness of the significance and practical implementation of new discoveries within specialized fields of biomedicine (e.g. bioinformatics). Healthcare networkcentricity will also facilitate conversion of information into readily accessible knowledge, accelerate translation of that knowledge into clinical practice, and reduce the stress of information overload. Changes in the use of Information/Computer/Communication Technologies (IC^2T) and enhanced efficiency of Decision/Executive Support Systems (DSS/ESS) are pivotal to the success of the networkcentric approach as discussed in the paper.

Networkcentric healthcare operations: the telecommunications structure

Healthcare globally is failing to meet its objectives of delivering appropriate medical attention to patients. We suggest that by adopting a networkcentric approach healthcare operations and delivery will be dramatically enhanced with the ultimate beneficiary being the patient. Underlying the networkcentric doctrine of healthcare is the use of IC2T. As discussed in the paper, all the essential network and telecommunication components already exist. We must now focus on how to combine them so that network centric healthcare can in fact become a reality.

Networkcentric healthcare: Applying the tools, techniques and strategies of knowledge management to create superior healthcare operations

The proliferation of Information Computer and Communication Technologies (IC2T) throughout the business environment has led to exponentially increasing amounts of data and information. Although these technologies were implemented to enhance and facilitate superior decision-making, the reality is information overload. Knowledge Management (KM) is a recent management technique designed to make sense of this information chaos. Critical to knowledge management is the application of IC2T. This paper discusses how effective and efficient healthcare operations can ensue through the adoption of a networkcentric healthcare perspective that is grounded in process-oriented knowledge generation and enabled through World Healthcare Information Grid (WHIG).

Network-centric healthcare operations: data warehousing and the associated telecommunications platforms

With the rapidly escalating costs, the EU and the US make the adoption and application of Information, Computer and Communication Technologies (ICCT) in healthcare (e-health) an urgent priority, and the recent progress in ICCT facilitates transition from non-collaborative, platformcentric activities to fully federated, network-centric operations. The paper discusses the essential role of federated data warehouses in the novel concept of networkcentric healthcare operations, and shows that the federated approach to data storage and management is the essential element for the improvement of access to coherent, relevant, and timely information required by governments and international organisations for better, more cost effective, and medically sound access, delivery, and administration of global healthcare.

Telecommunications infrastructure for worldwide networkcentric healthcare operations and the associated information system

The development of new services is amongst the most challenging technological issues currently faced by Telecommunication companies (Telcos). Next Generation Networks (NGNs) handling voice, data and video communications offer a unique opportunity for the creation of new forms of healthcare access, delivery and administration in a new, global networkcentric system consisting of fully interoperable, collaborative of multidomain elements necessary for the efficient conduct of worldwide healthcare operations. This paper expands previous studies and research and provides full definition of the Worldwide Healthcare Information Grid (WHIG) architecture proposed to realise through the functionalities offered by the currently deployed NGNs.