Data Work in Health Care: The Case of Medical Secretaries

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Abstract

This paper investigates the often neglected area of data work by medical secretaries, specifically in the context of hospitals in Denmark. Since the 1930s medical secretaries have played a steadily more central role in meeting the growing need for health data. With electronic health records (EHRs) and promises of data automation, the profession has been put at risk of redundancy. While there is a considerable base of research on the datafication of health care, the data work emerging from datafication remains undescribed. Hence, we are conducting a socio-technical study of clinical-administrative data work in contemporary Danish public hospitals. In this paper we present early insights of this research, indicating the vital role of medical secretaries’ data work in securing clinical information at the point of care.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationContext Sensitive Health Informatics : The Role of Informatics in Global Pandemics
EditorsRomaric Marcilly, Linda Dusseljee-Peute, Craig E. Kuziemsky, Xinxin Zhu, Peter Elkin, Christian Nohr
Number of pages5
PublisherIOS Press
Publication dateNov 2021
Pages60-64
ISBN (Print)978-1-64368-230-3
ISBN (Electronic)978-1-64368-231-0
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2021
EventContext Sensitive Health Informatics, CSHI 2021 - Virtual
Duration: 15 Nov 202116 Nov 2021

Conference

ConferenceContext Sensitive Health Informatics, CSHI 2021
LocationVirtual
Period15/11/202116/11/2021
SeriesStudies in Health Technology and Informatics
Volume286
ISSN0926-9630

Keywords

  • Data work
  • EHR
  • administrative work
  • electronic health record
  • hospitals
  • medical secretaries
  • socio-Technical research

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