Putting a local information system online using pre-packaged software

• Main Author: Dautermann, Jennie
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied computing > Computers in other domains > Personal computers and PC applications; Applied computing > Life and medical sciences > Consumer health; Applied computing > Life and medical sciences > Health care information systems; Applied computing > Life and medical sciences > Health informatics; General and reference > Cross-computing tools and techniques > Evaluation; Human-centered computing > Collaborative and social computing > Collaborative and social computing systems and tools; Information systems > World Wide Web; Social and professional topics > Professional topics > Management of computing and information systems > Software management > Software selection and adaptation
• ISSN: 0731-1001
• DOI: 10.1145/97426.97992

Many small organizations have the need for information storage and retrieval systems which they dream of putting on-line for ease of access. Such a project designed with modest equipment and pre-packaged software can achieve three important objectives: allow users to design their own access tools clarify the information needs of a community improve information access. These goals may be sufficient in themselves in many situations, but they may also become interim steps which prepare users for involvement in larger institutional projects at some later time by enabling them to think through their information needs in concrete and manageable terms. During an information management project with the nursing department of a Midwest community hospital, a standard PC data base became the vehicle for introducing each of these benefits to the department and for preparing the department to participate in a larger main frame project already in progress in their hospital.