Drug Informatics from Evolution to the Present Outlook

Minyahil A Woldu

doi:10.4172/2157-7420.1000161

Abstract

Informatics is the science of information and the blending of people, biomedicine and technology. Medical informatics as a discipline is still young, in particular when compared to other medical disciplines. The American Medical Informatics Association defined medical informatics as all aspects of understanding and promoting the effective organization, analysis, management, and use of information in health care. Drug informatics emphasizes the use of technology as an integral tool in effectively organizing, analyzing, and managing information on medication use in patients. Drug Informatics is a specialty area within the realm of clinical pharmacy that has evolved as technology and clinical practice have changed. The objective of this review is to make the reader familiar with the term, informatics, medical informatics and drug information; to describe the evolution of the informatics world; to describe the purpose, requirements and functions of drug information center (DIC). Effective drug information and evaluation skills are a vital part of routine pharmacy practice. Drug information specialists are trained individuals who have clinical knowledge and skills that allow them to provide clear, concise, and accurate recommendations regarding drug use. DIC is a unit designed for receiving, collecting, analyzing, and providing unbiased, accurate and up-to-date information about drugs and their use. Drug information Service (DIS) is the activities function and projects through which the DICs achieve their objectives and which constitute their programs of work. The Purposes of DIC include provision of comprehensive, meaningful and well evaluated information on drugs with a view to enhancing the rational use of drugs; disseminate technical, scientific & objective information to health care providers; disseminate appropriate drug information to the general public; generate, collect, analyze and maintain drug information data; design produce and distribute drug information materials and give appropriate information on toxicology and poisoning. In conclusion, even though the discipline is still young and expected to be stronger in the future, the involvement of pharmacist as a drug information provider has been limited to specific areas of activities. Therefore, it is on the shoulder of the pharmacist to act appropriately and to change the outlook of the activities in near future.

Highlights

Informatics is the science of information and the blending of people, biomedicine and technology
One hundred eighty articles were browsed from pubmed using the MeSH Browser, for items about Drug informatics, drug information, medical informatics and drug information center (DIC) and articles were browsed using google search engine
Information technology has expanded to encompass nearly every industry in the world from finance and banking to Universities and nonprofits organizations [6], The U.S Institute of Medicine (IOM) reported that “at least 44,000 and perhaps as many as 98,000 Americans die in hospitals each year as a result of medical errors”

Summary

Introduction

Informatics is the science of information and the blending of people, biomedicine and technology. Individuals who practice informatics are known as informaticians or informaticists [1]. Healthcare policy and decision makers are demanding evidence to justify investments in health information data [2] Data are symbols or observations reflecting differences in the world. Knowledge is information that is justifiably considered to be true. Wisdom is the critical use of knowledge to make intelligent decisions and to work through situations of signal versus noise [3] (Figure 1). Drug information is a specialty area within the realm of clinical pharmacy that has evolved as technology and clinical practice have changed. Drug informatics and drug information can be used interchangeably [3]

Methods

Conclusion