Clinical Data Mining in an Allied Health Organisation

Clinical Data Mining in an Allied Health Organisation: A Real World Experience shows how data-mining methodology can be used to promote quality management and research in the work of allied health professions. A collection of clinical data-mining projects, conducted by a variety of discipline-specific and multidisciplinary allied health groups in regional Australia, illustrate the application of the Epstein's clinical data-mining research methodology. The chapters reflect on the ways in which this approach transforms practice by encouraging practitioner and organisational learning, client-focused service improvement and professional role satisfaction.

This book is aimed at allied health, medical and nursing professionals interested in clinical practice research, quality management and those who wish to start small-scale research projects without large grants. It will be also of interest to health service managers seeking information about data-mining methodology and its use in a clinical setting.

Anne Vertigan is a cojoint lecturer at the Univeristy of Newcastle and the director for speech pathology in Hunter New England Health.

Irwin Epstein is the Helen Rehr professor of social work at the City University of New York.

Roslyn Giles is a senior lecturer in social work and policy studies at the University of Sydney.

Preface
Contributors

Introduction
Roslyn Giles, Anne E. Vertigan, Irwin Epstein and David Rhodes

1. A data-mining medley for physiotherapists: cleaning up data codes, evaluating service and improving client outcomes
   Judith Henderson, Christine Smith, Damien Smith, Chris Barnett, Robin Haskins and Kate Rutledge
2. The long and winding road: creating an outcome tool for ‘prospective data mining’ of social work services
   Fran Hodgson and Roslyn Giles
3. Tackling solastalgia: improving pathways to care for farming families
   Phoebe Begg and Sarah Thompson
4. Mending bones and maximising independence: data mining an orthopaedic rehabilitation inpatient independent living unit
   Jenny Swancott
5. The hepatitis C treatment trifecta: alcohol, marijuana and mental illness
   Gabrielle Murphy
6. Applying data mining to a cohort of acute traumatic brain injury admissions: our experiences
   Glade Vyslysel and Lisa Channon
7. Treating lost language: speech pathology management of aphasia in the acute hospital setting
   Luisa Renna and Anne E. Vertigan
8. Unravelling low back pain in an outpatient physiotherapy service
   Chris Barnett, Judith Henderson, Robin Haskins, Carla Dyson and Peter Osmotherly
9. Pre-operative assessment of voice abnormalities in patients with thyroid disease: a clinical data-mining exploration of ‘thyroid voice’
   Sarah L. Bone, Anne E. Vertigan and Robert L. Eisenberg

Acronyms
Index

'This book is a valuable addition for those interested in approaches to practitioner-oriented research, particularly allied health professionals. As the editors state, this approach helps break down the dichotomy between research and practice.'
Kevin Lyons   Journal of Allied Health

Format: paperback
Size: 210 × 148 × 14 mm
274 pages
17 b&w illustrations and 37 b&w tables
Copyright: © 2011
ISBN: 9781920899653
Publication: 17 Aug 2011