Knowledge-based information management: implications for information services

Area of Science:

• Health Care Administration
• Information Management
• Library Science

Background:

• The 1994 Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) standards have been updated.
• The previous Professional Library Services (PR) chapter is no longer present in the Accreditation Manual for Hospitals (AMH).

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight changes in the 1994 JCAHO standards for information management.
• To explore the implications of these changes for health care library operations and management.
• To identify new opportunities for librarians resulting from the revised standards.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the 1994 Accreditation Manual for Hospitals (AMH).
• Comparison of the new information management standards with previous library services standards.
• Discussion of the integration of library services within the new Management of Information (IM) chapter.

Main Results:

• Library services standards are now incorporated into the Management of Information (IM) chapter.
• The separate Professional Library Services (PR) chapter has been removed.
• The integration into IM presents new opportunities for health sciences librarians.

Conclusions:

• The relocation of library standards into the IM chapter offers expanded opportunities for librarians.
• Health care librarians must adapt their operations and survey responses to the new JCAHO standards.
• Understanding the IM chapter is crucial for effective library management and accreditation compliance.