ElectronicHealthRecords

= Electronic health records = = = **Issued:** 17 Apr 08
 * Submit:** 23 Apr 08 (beginning of lesson)

Issues: privacy, data analysis, public health

You are a consultant 'think tank' in Ireland and have been commissioned by the Government's department for health to assess whether having a national database for health records is a feasible idea. Your neighbouring country, the UK is currently trying to introduce this and has experienced many difficulties in doing so.

Task
In groups of 3, research countries where this has been successfully introduced and then compare this to the conventional method of storing health records. It is important that you highlight concerns over social and ethical issues and explain ways to prevent these problems from happening.

Submit
You need to record a PodCast (approx. 10 mins.) that firstly introduces the issue, explains how Information Technology is currently being used and how it could be utilized to make further changes to the conventional method. You also need to explain what social and ethical problems could arise and how this may happen and introduce ways to prevent this.

You also need to create a factual PowerPoint presentation that will support your PodCast discussion which can be played to an audience that is listening to your PodCast.

For your PodCast please find a free online service that allows you to record this or otherwise use Audacity on your computers. Both the PodCast and the Presentation items require linking to the groups listed below.

Groups

 * Group || Names ||
 * 1 || Nadzri, Nathan, Tina ||
 * 2 || Shyamal, Kai Li, Yenson ||
 * 3 || Sybren, Joyce, Leo ||
 * 4 || Samay Debbie, Christiaan ||
 * 5 || Hassan, Guy, Kenneth ||