Deck 2: Theoretical Foundations of Health Informatics

Question 1

What is the primary difference between an open and closed system?

A) An open system has no boundary, and therefore there are no limits to the inputs and outputs between an open system and the environment.
B) An open system has a semipermeable boundary and therefore will filter both inputs and outputs when interacting with the environment.
C) A closed system has a semipermeable boundary and therefore will filter both inputs and outputs when interacting with the environment.
D) A closed system does not have a boundary and therefore will not interact with the environment.

Answer 1

An open system has a semipermeable boundary and therefore will filter both inputs and outputs when interacting with the environment.

Question 2

The primary characteristics used to analyze an open system include:

A) structure, purpose, and functions.
B) subsystem, target system, and supersystem.
C) boundary, attributes, and environment.
D) hierarchical, web, and hybrid.

Answer 2

structure, purpose, and functions.

Question 3

You have altered the menu of food items served to your patients. However, the change has greatly expanded the number of refrigerated items needed on hand. You need to buy a new refrigerator, but the electric circuit in the kitchen cannot handle the extra load and needs to be upgraded at significant expense. This set of unintended consequences down the line, produced by an initial change, is called:

A) dynamic homeostasis.
B) semi-planned change.
C) negentropy.
D) reverberation.

Answer 3

reverberation.

Question 4

The "butterfly effect" describes a situation in which a minor change in input (eg, a butterfly flapping its wings in one part of the world) can have a major effect on output (eg, a windstorm developing in another part of the world). This aspect of chaotic systems illustrates their property of:

A) the reiterative feedback loop.
B) linearity.
C) preordained periodic behavior.
D) the fractionation of outputs.

Question 5

Which statement describes the measurement of information as defined by the Shannon and Weaver model?

A) The amount of information is measured by the amount of data in the message.
B) The amount of information is measured by the number of meanings that can be assigned to a message.
C) The amount of information is measured by the extent the message decreases entropy.
D) The amount of information is measured by the number of characters used to create the message.

Question 6

On its own, the number 190 is an example of:

A) data.
B) information.
C) knowledge.
D) wisdom.

Question 7

Knowing when and how to use knowledge is referred to as:

A) procedural knowledge.
B) cognitive knowledge.
C) decision support system.
D) wisdom.

Question 8

Which are the three general types of learned behaviors?

A) Input, throughput, and output
B) Adult learning theories, constructionist theories, and learning styles
C) Cognitive, affective, and psychomotor
D) Short, intermediate, and long-term memory

Question 9

Which group will test out new technology but are not usually seen as leaders within an organization?

A) Innovators
B) Early adopters
C) Early majority
D) Late majority

Question 10

The Staggers and Nelson systems life cycle (SLC) is a guide for informatics projects. Its phases include: (Select all that apply.)

A) implementation.
B) planning.
C) evaluation.
D) security.
E) diagnosis.