An Analysis on the Utilisation of Health Information Technology to Support Clinical Operation of Chinese Medicine

An Analysis on the Utilisation of Health Information Technology to Support Clinical Operation of Chinese Medicine

Catherine Han-Lin (Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia), Angela Wei Hong Yang (RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia), Siddhi Pittayachawan (RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia) and Nilmini Wickramasinghe (Deakin University & Epworth HealthCare, Melbourne, Australia)
Copyright: © 2019 |Pages: 21
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-7039-4.ch027

Abstract

Chinese Medicine (CM) has become increasingly demanding globally. Recent World Health Organisation traditional and complementary medicine strategy of integrating CM to Western Medicine (WM) indicates that it is crucial that CM developments have strong literature, scientific, and evidence-based medical approval and support. To achieve this, there is a need to form a synthesis foundation or platform for future studies. This chapter serves to discover this synthesis that is suitable for CM by discussing the basics of inquiring and Knowledge Management (KM) systems. It suggests that CM should follow a combination of Hegelian and Kantian inquiring systems with the support of Singerian and Leibnizian inquiring systems and KM features. This proposed synthesis is one of the first, if not the first study to apply Churchman's inquiring systems into the context of CM and differentiate them from WM.
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Background

There are about 80% of the world population use CAM treatments (WHO, 2013). In Australia the number of people using CAM is rising. Research shows that the number of visits to CAM practitioners by adult Australians in year 2004 to 2005 reached 69.2 million, while the number of visits to primary care or general practice (GP) was 69.3 million in the same year (Xue et al. 2007). CM is one of the most popular CAM practices today (Lukman et al. 2007). There are 4,157 registered acupuncturists in Australia (CMBA, 2014) and more than 10 million visits to acupuncturists every year (Xue et al., 2008). CM is considered by many patients to have fewer side effects; more effective treatment to the root of the disease; and is good for the overall health of patients (Chi, 1994). Unlike western medicine (WM), CM’s unique methods of diagnosis (combine inspection, auscultation and olfaction, inquiring, and palpation in every diagnosis) give each patient individualised treatment (Chi, 1994). This approach, to some patients, is a benefit and an advantage.

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