Discussion Guidelines

1. Discussion Guidelines Prepared by: Dr. Nasriah Zakaria

2. Learning Outcomes • To enable students to search and present Medical Informatics information to others • To train student to express their opinions/ideas using discussion method • To allow students to interact with their course mates and lecturers in discussing related topics to Weekly lecture

3. Discussion Requirements Your Discussion • Start the discussion by providing arguments/answers to the question given • Relate to Lecture notes • Provide some examples to support your answer • Provide logical reasoning to your arguments • Write in full sentences and avoid point-form sentences • Recommended length: 150-300 words

4. Discussion Requirements Replying to others within your Group • Reply to at least 2 students’ discussion • Provide comments to others’ discussions and state whether you agree or disagree with their points. • Provide explanation to your arguments • Recommended length: 60-100 words

5. Discussion Requirements • Conclude your discussion by summarizing your opinion. • Include reference list when taking any examples taken from web and literature. • Any examples from your personal life can be used. Use words like “From my observation ….”, “Based on what I see….” • Must be written using your own 
words- No cut and paste from website, books, other students’ work • Writing style: polished and professional presentation of work. Use spell-checker to avoid typo.

6. Grading Criteria • Fulfill all requirements in Discussion Content – each group will be given 4 marks for each week’s discussion • If group discussion is found inadequate and needs improvement, the group must ADD additional information to fulfill the requirements. Only then full marks will be given. • For any plagiarism found, 0 marks will be given to the group members.

7. Sample Discussion • What is the effect of CDSS in on the clinical practice ? “CDSS as a definition is " a system which provide clinicians or patients with computer generated clinical knowledge and patient - related information , intelligently filtered or presented at appropriate times,to enhance patient care " (1) . Actually , is an effective system It rises the efficacy of the physician works , provide the needed information and guide them In many clinical aspects for example : In prescribing treatments CDSS can show ADEs and  the duplication of the thereby . So, It acts like a guide because many physician drug ordering errors are mainly due to lack of knowledge about (dose,frequency..etc) . Also , It shows patient related diseases , his/her drugs list , his/her lap results and It can interpret them . Additionally , there is one type of CDSS which is reactive alerts and reminder . It gives notification for any errors or contraindication of procedure therefore this system will give a greet effect in reducing medical errors if It is used properly “

8. Sample Discussion • What is the effect of CDSS in on the clinical practice in the relation of the physician and  patient ?  • “In my opinion , this system will potentiate the doctor-patient relationship because It improves the patient care . So It will increase the safety through preventing the medical errors and enhance the quality of the medical services through increase the clinician time and clinical documentation. In addition , it improve the health care delivery by reducing costs for example ( It can search for cheaper drugs for specific disease with the same efficacy of other brands )  . In a study conducted in Vanderbilt Children's PICU to assess the rule of CPOE ( CDSS is part of this system ) in preventing the medication errors and the results show that after implantation of COPE there is a greet reduction of medication prescription errors around 100% (2)  . So we suspect that the patient will be more satisfied with there doctors . However the physician should realize this system dose not replace his own decision ,It just a facilitator and they have to be trained because taking an extending period of time while reading or figure out some thing will contribute to make the patient resistance to this system ”

9. Sample Discussion (Reply others) • I agree that the patient could be resistance to this system because may be he will feel that he was neglected and that mainly depends on the doctor behaviors . as what I said previously , the doctor should not rely on this system and neglect his own thinking . Also, he should explains to the patient that he uses this system to make sure about the patient data and information so there is no time wasting .So , by explaining and answering patient questions , we can rise the patient education about this system and therefore the population at all .

10. Conclusion • Discussion should contain: • Your own discussion with arguments and justifications • Your responses to 2 students’ discussions Discussion should be: • Original – no plagiarism • Free of typo • Written in full sentences and formal English language

11. Discussion Etiquette • Support and encourage participation • Argue and discuss using concrete evidences- from website, from literature • Avoid saying “ I agree” or “I disagree” without any justification • Avoid flaming and boycott behaviors • Not everyone will respond to your Discussion, you will not be graded based on this • Avoid plagiarism

12. How to use Discussion Board on Blackboard • Log into lms.ksu.edu.sa • Choose CMED 301 • On the left menu, look for “User and Group” , click on this • Choose your Group (F1 , F2 or … ) • Enroll yourself in your Group • Go to Group Discussion Board • Choose Discussion #xx (see Discussion Schedule for #) • Create Thread to begin (only create 1 thread and everyone response to the same thread)

13. Discussion Schedule • Check the course schedule , For examples: Discussion #1= Week 2, • Discussion #6- Week 10 etc.

14. Some tips on Discussions http://pharma-career.vinvarun.biz/2008/09/how-to-prepare-yourself-to-participate.html http://www.studygs.net/intstudy.htm