Nurses, patients and carers (plus managers) would instantly recognise that if a care plan and subsequent care delivery was based on the following assessment:
| oriented, not depressed | hypertension, falls, dizziness, headaches, pyrexia |
| carer due hip operation | admitted 1st May 2010 1200hrs to clinical decisions unit |
- we would be acutely concerned.
Clinically this is a case of informational emaciation. The information above is rather thin on the ground, this in turn affects the knowledge that can be gleaned in formulating, negotiating and agreeing actions. Even in the information sparse example above each of the care domains has some content; is that always the case?
Use of the word emaciated in this context is not intended to diminish the plight of people who are physically emaciated, poorly nourished.
This post is intended to highlight another aspect of poverty.
As the Global Healthcare Information Network (HIFA 2015) argues and campaigns - information is a means to emancipation - a way to overcome information emaciation.
Additional links:
Picker Institute Europe
Patient Information Forum
Patient Information Advisory Group
