Description of a method to support public health information management: Organizational network analysis

  • Authors:

  • Jacqueline Merrill;Suzanne Bakken;Maxine Rockoff;Kristine Gebbie;Kathleen M. Carley

  • Affiliations:

  • Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, 630 West 168th Street, VC 5, New York, NY 10032, USA;Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, 630 West 168th Street, VC 5, New York, NY 10032, USA and School of Nursing, Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, US ...;Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, 630 West 168th Street, VC 5, New York, NY 10032, USA;School of Nursing, Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, USA;School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, USA

  • Venue:
  • Journal of Biomedical Informatics
  • Year:
  • 2007

Quantified Score

Hi-index 0.00

Visualization

Abstract

In this case study, we describe a method that has potential to provide systematic support for public health information management. Public health agencies depend on specialized information that travels throughout an organization via communication networks among employees. Interactions that occur within these networks are poorly understood and are generally unmanaged. We applied organizational network analysis, a method for studying communication networks, to assess the method's utility to support decision making for public health managers, and to determine what links existed between information use and agency processes. Data on communication links among a health department's staff was obtained via survey with a 93% response rate, and analyzed using Organizational Risk Analyzer (ORA) software. The findings described the structure of information flow in the department's communication networks. The analysis succeeded in providing insights into organizational processes which informed public health managers' strategies to address problems and to take advantage of network strengths.