GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS APPLIED TO PATIENT DISTRIBUTION FOR FAMILY HEALTH TEAMS IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

João Azevedo, Carlos Oliveira, Juliano Gaspar, Alberto Freitas

2012

Abstract

Background: Family focused environment in Primary care is considered to be the future and help is required to implement new conceptualities. One theory consists in dividing patients accordingly to geographic clusters. Aim: To study and implement methodologies for distribution of patients of a health unit, and develop a tool to aid in this process. Methods: A health unit was selected to recollect and process bio-geographic data of patients. A manual division was executed and various methods were tested. An information system was developed in order to help divide and compare between manual and automatic. Results: The original data contained a significant percentage of errors (25%). This led to the cross validation of addresses. This process took months. Only after, various patient division techniques could be applied. One showed itself as having the most advantages. A robust GIS system was developed. Discussion: The analysis took a significant amount of time. The method of dividing the patients proved itself appropriate to this situation, and could probably be applied in many urban locations. The obtained GIS provided time saving and better data comprehension. Conclusion: Technologies in general and the system developed in particular can help patient allocation and represent a breakthrough in time-saving.

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Paper Citation


in Harvard Style

Azevedo J., Oliveira C., Gaspar J. and Freitas A. (2012). GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS APPLIED TO PATIENT DISTRIBUTION FOR FAMILY HEALTH TEAMS IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE . In Proceedings of the International Conference on Health Informatics - Volume 1: HEALTHINF, (BIOSTEC 2012) ISBN 978-989-8425-88-1, pages 419-422. DOI: 10.5220/0003791104190422


in Bibtex Style

@conference{healthinf12,
author={João Azevedo and Carlos Oliveira and Juliano Gaspar and Alberto Freitas},
title={GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS APPLIED TO PATIENT DISTRIBUTION FOR FAMILY HEALTH TEAMS IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE},
booktitle={Proceedings of the International Conference on Health Informatics - Volume 1: HEALTHINF, (BIOSTEC 2012)},
year={2012},
pages={419-422},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0003791104190422},
isbn={978-989-8425-88-1},
}


in EndNote Style

TY - CONF
JO - Proceedings of the International Conference on Health Informatics - Volume 1: HEALTHINF, (BIOSTEC 2012)
TI - GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS APPLIED TO PATIENT DISTRIBUTION FOR FAMILY HEALTH TEAMS IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE
SN - 978-989-8425-88-1
AU - Azevedo J.
AU - Oliveira C.
AU - Gaspar J.
AU - Freitas A.
PY - 2012
SP - 419
EP - 422
DO - 10.5220/0003791104190422