Health Informatics Research

Major areas of research interest

Health Informatics for Developing countries
Web 2.0 and social media for online health communities
E-Health
Electronic Health Records (clinician and consumer perspectives)
Hand-held computers and the exchange of clinical information at the point of care
Electronic-based health informatics teaching and learning
Evidence-based health informatics techniques
Bio-informatics
Accessibility to health care
methods for collaborative on-line medicine (practice and teaching)
Health applications of geographic information science (spatial cognition and visualisation)
Health applications of artificial intelligence (clinical decision support system and scoring systems)
Ethics and the Internet
Temporal analysis

Research Grants

Pacific Open Learning Health Net (POLHN) pilot project funded by World Health Organisation (WHO) aimed at upskilling medical practitioners in the Pacific region in Health Informatics to become educators and mentors for future participants in Pacific countries. So far we have travelled to Palau, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.
Investigate wireless and PDA's computer applications in clinical health sector
Predicting the best possible antisense oligonucleotides for a gene using machine learning and data mining
BioInformatics; Gene matching through similarity methods
Investigate news methods for collaborative learning via the web
Growth and Innovation Pilot Initiatives (Growth Pilots -GIPI) (Pan Sector) Health Informatics
Model accessibility to Primary Health care services
Spatio-temporal information system
Investigate views, values, and attitudes of Clinical Leaders on Clinical Decision Support Systems
Investigate the use of Health Informatics for Acute Oral and Maxillofacial Services in New Zealand
Survey information technology utilisation and extent of usage in NZ dental practice, Research Grant

Research Projects

Palmtop Computers in Health Care - article in NZMJ

Masters thesis topics

Telemedicine in the South Pacific
Analysis of decision making in induction of labour using artificial scenarios
Developing security policy for electronic health records
Fine needle aspiration cytology: Reporting via telecytology
Dental IT in New Zealand
E-nutrition - computer based screening tool
The provision of new methods for the electronic distribution of patient results
The evolution of best practice guidelines for documentation
Acute oral and maxillofacial services in New Zealand
Security of Health Information in New Zealand
Evaluation study of students in a web-based Intensive Care Course
To identify clinical leaders' views in the area of decision support/tools/guidelines
Repeat pathology laboratory testing - a significant problem
Consumer views in electronic health records and issues with respect to security
HISA, or reducing clinical errors
Health information systems utilisation in Tongan Ministry of Health
Health informatics in medical technology laboratories
A descriptive and spatial analysis of the distribution of practicing general dentists and specialists in New Zealand.
Using CAL and on-line technologies for teaching obstetrics and gynaecology
Health information systems for medical technologists
Training radiologists for pregnancy ultra sound using CAL

PhD thesis topics

Scoring systems for intensive care unit use in New Zealand
A java spatio-temporal information system for rural health: South Island New Zealand
Automated Internet and mapping systems for on line collection, management, analysis and presentation of epidemiological data (including: water borne diseases)
Convergence of communications: consumer empowerment in an E-health scenario.
Designing clinical decision support/tools/guidelines
To examine different mediums (PC, PDA, Cell phone) and already existing software for weight loss and obesity control.
E-governance, E-heath framework: a Pacific peoples approach
Evaluation of benefits of self-management of juvenile diabetes mellitus in paediatric patients
Maximising advanced medical imaging; translating DICOM to 4D precision modelling
Using H.I. techniques to capture and store endoscopic information that might be compatible with e-learning methodologies
Critical analysis of WHO research reporting systems
Health informatics: A socio-technical perspective

Publications

Commissioned Reports

Holt, A. On-line Team dynamics. Innovation in Teaching Report, Committee for the Advancement of Learning and Teaching (CALT) University of Otago, 2002, 21 pages.
Gillingham, W., Holt, A. and J. D. Gillies 2002. Palmtop Computers in Health Care. A Summer Studentship Research Project Report, Health Sciences Division, University of Otago. 47 pages.
Dowell, T Mcleod D, Mansell J, Kljakovic M, Parkin C, Bailey T, Reid P, Robson B, Harris, R. The collection of patient ethnicity data in general practice. A report for Te Kete Hauora, Ministry of Health. 1998 p2-63

Book Chapters

Holt A., & J. D. Gillies, (2001), E-Health and on-line medical transactions. Internet Management Issues: A Global Perspective. Chapter 17 of 19 chapters, p279-296.

Referred Journal Articles

Paton C, Al-Ubaydli M. The Doctor's PDA and Smartphone handbook: Medical Records. J R Soc Med. 2006 Apr;99(4):183-4.
Al-Ubaydli M, Paton C. The Doctor's PDA and Smartphone Handbook: Medical References. J R Soc Med. 2006 Mar;99(3):120-4.
Paton C, Al-Ubaydli M. The Doctor's PDA and Smartphone Handbook: The Task List. J R Soc Med. 2006 Feb;99(2):73-6.
Al-Ubaydli M, Paton C. The Doctor's PDA and Smartphone Handbook: Databases. J R Soc Med. 2006 Jan;99(1):20-3.
Al-Ubaydli M, Paton C. The Doctor's PDA and Smartphone Handbook. Personal Digital Assistant. J R Soc Med. 2005 Nov;98(11):494-5.
MacRae, J., Inkster, J., Miller, A., Murray, K., Jones, R., Payne, M., & Holt, A., (Submitted-2002), An Electronic client health and results monitoring system (E-Charms): For diabetes treatment. International Medical Journal for Experimental and Clinical Research http://www.medscimonit.com/medscimonit/
Gillingham, W., Holt, A., & J. D. Gillies, (Accepted-2002), Hand-held computers in health care: What software programs are available? New Zealand Medical Journal.
Roeters, H, & Holt A, (Submitted-2002), Are Health Professionals meeting the minimum-security requirements for Health Information Systems (HIS) in the New Zealand Health Service? (A pilot study in Residential Care in NZ). International Journal of Medical Internet Research <http://www.jmir.org/2002/>
Parry, D. T., Holt, A., J. Gillies, (2001), Using the Internet to Teach Health Informatics: A Case Study. International Journal of Medical Internet Research, 3(3): e26 <http://www.jmir.org/2001/3/e26/index.htm>
Brebner, C., Jones, J., Krisjanous, J., Marshall, W., Parry, G. & Holt, A., (2001) Electronic medical consultation: a New Zealand perspective. International Journal of Medical Internet Research 3(1): e13 <http://www.jmir.org/2001/1/e13/>
Cullen, R and Breton, A. (1998), Information in practice vi: Making use of Medline. New Zealand Family Physician. Vol.25, No.3, June.

Conference Publications - Full Refereed Papers

Durham J. A, and Kljakovic M. Teaching evidence Based medicine. Unwilling students and uncommitted staff but does it matter if the learning objectives are achieved? In: ANZAME Annual Conference; 2001; Wellington, New Zealand; 2001. p. 79-86
Cockcroft, S., Elston, K. 2000. The missing link: Improving general practice information through changes to the medical system interface. Australian Conference on Information Systems, Brisbane.
Clark, M. and Breton, A. 2000, Library instruction for medical students: teaching critical thinking along with Medline search skills. 8th International Medical Librarianship Congress, London.
Cockcroft, S., Parry, D. T., A. Breton, D. Abernethy and J. Gillies. 2000, Let the students teach the teachers: Infiltrating IT into Primary Care. Proceedings of the 33rd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Maui.
Parry, D. T., Gillies J, Cockcroft S, Breton A, Abernethy, D. 2000. The virtual campus - is it worth it, does it work? Asia Pacific Association for Medical Informatics APAMI - MIC2000.
David Parry, Sophie Cockcroft, John Gillies, David Abernethy, Alice Breton. 2000, Building and Teaching an Electronic Course in Health Informatics. Presentation at 7th International Nursing Congress, Auckland.
Parry, D. T., A. Breton, D. Abernethy, S Cockcroft, J.D. Gillies 1999. Using The Internet To Teach Health Informatics. Computers and Advanced Technology in Education, Philadelphia USA, Ed. MH Hamza, IASTED/Acta Press, pp40-45
Parry, D. T., A. Breton, D. Abernethy, S Cockcroft, J.D. Gillies, 1999. Using the Internet to teach Health Informatics. Towards the Millennium of Cybermedicine. The 4th World Congress on the Internet in Medicine – Abstracts Book. Arvanitis T, Eysenbach G, Woodall J (eds.). Educational Technology Research Papers of the University of Birmingham, No. 10. Birmingham/Heidelberg.
Parry, D. T., D.Abernethy, S.Cockcroft, A Breton and J.D. Gillies, 1999. The Development Of An Electronic Distance Learning Course In Health Informatics. 10th Australasian Conference on Information Systems Wellington Eds: Hope B. and Yoong P. School Of Communications And Information Management, Victoria University of Wellington PP 714-724 (Vol 2).
Parry, D. T., Breton A., Abernethy,D., Cockcroft S. and Gillies J.D, 1999, An Interactive Electronic Course in Health Informatics. Proceedings of the ICONIP-ANZIIS-ANNES'99 International Workshop Eds Kasabov N. and Ko K. pp173-176.
Parry, D. T., Cockcroft, S., Fiddes, T., & Egan, T. 1998, Spatial Analysis of the Origin and destination of NZ doctors - the class of '75. In Proceedings: 10th Annual Colloquium of the Spatial Information Research Centre University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
R T Pascoe and D Abernathy, 1996 Teaching a Diploma in Medical Informatics using the World Wide Web, N.A.WEB 96 - The Second International North America World Wide Web Conference, 1996, ed. R. Hall, Department of Continuing Education, University of New Brunswick, Continuing Education Centre, Duffie Drive, P.O. Box 4400, Fredericton, NB E3A 5A3, Canada, p116-121.

Conference Publications - Non Refereed Papers

Parry, D. T., Cockcroft., S., Breton, A., Gillies, J., and Abernethy, D. 2000, Building and Teaching an Electronic Course in Health Informatics The 7th International Congress of Nursing Informatics, Auckland, New Zealand.
Cockcroft, S., Elston, K. 2000, Data quality control in the Electronic Medical Record APAMI, Hong Kong.
D.T.Parry, D. Abernethy, S.Cockcroft, A Breton and J.D. Gillies 1999. Health Informatics Education: Current Issues And Future Prospects, American Medical Informatics Association Spring Congress Chicago.
Cockcroft, S., Parry, D. T.,, D. Abernethy, A. Breton and J. Gillies (1999). The Post-Graduate Diploma in Health Informatics at the University of Otago, New Zealand., S. Teasdale, Ed., In Proceedings Annual conference of the Primary Health Care Specialist Group of the British Computer Society, Downing College, Cambridge UK, Primary Health Care Specialist Group of the British Computer Society, PP 83.
Parry, D. T., The postgraduate diploma in health informatics. Nursing Informatics New Zealand.
Parry, D. T., Breton, A., Abernethy, D., Pascoe R.T., Cockcroft S.K.S, & Gillies. J. D. 1998a. The Use of The Internet & Intranets in Medical, Nursing & Allied Health Education: University of Sydney.
Parry, D. T., Breton, A., Abernethy, D., Pascoe R.T., Cockcroft S.K.S, & Gillies. J. D. 1998b. Teaching Health Informatics over the Internet - making it happen. In Proceedings: The Use Of The Internet & Intranets In Medical, Nursing & Allied Health Education Post-Conference Meeting Of The WWW7 1998 Conference, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Australia.

Web Site Conference Publications

Holt, A., (2002), A New Zealand perspective on electronic medical consultations: Is E-Health driving a major coup: Are providers allowing patients the ability to take ownership of their healthcare (records and all)? Second International Symposium on Internet and Psychiatry, Munich, Germany, http://www.psynet-congress.de/second/abstracts.htm

Thesis

Breton, A. 2000, Learning Medline Information Retrieval Skills in a Distance Education Context: Student Attitudes, Achievement and Learning Styles, a thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Arts in Librarianship, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.
Parry, D. T., 2000, Analysis of decision making in induction of labour using artificial scenarios: a thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Science in Computer Science, of the University of Otago. Dunedin, New Zealand, 75 pages.
Kerr, Karolyn, 2002, Masters in Health Sciences on Health Informatics topic of Telemedicine in the South Pacific. Supervisors, David Abernethy and Kevin Dew.

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This page was last modified March 2007

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