AUTOMATION ALTERNATIVES IN THE DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT SETTING (FROM MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN THE DRUG FIELD, 1979, BY GEORGE M BESCHNER ET AL - SEE NCJ-64360)

• NCJ Number: 64366
• Author(s): H M BIRCH; K G TREASURE
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 33 pages
• Grant Number(s): 5 H81 DA 01729-03
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

DATA PROCESSING IS DESCRIBED, ALONG WITH CRITERIA EVALUATING DIFFERENT AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING SYSTEMS AND DATA PROCESSING OPTIONS FOR DRUG ABUSE PROGRAMS.

Abstract

DATA PROCESING INVOLVES COLLECTING, INSERTING, AND MANIPULATING DATA; TURNING OUT REPORTS, AND STORING INFORMATION FOR FUTURE USE. DETAILED DISCUSSION OF THESE STEPS ARE GIVEN. DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF DATA PROCESSING CHOICES, WITH NO SINGLE APPROACH FITTING ALL PROGRAMS. TO ASSIST MANAGERS, DISCUSSION FOCUSES ON THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE, A FRAMEWORK OF CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING DATA PROCESSING SYSTEMS, AND A DISCUSSION OF CHARACTERISTICS OF THREE MAJOR DATA-PROCESSING APPROACHES (IN-HOUSE COMPUTERS, USE OF SERVICE BUREAUS, AND NONAUTOMATED SYSTEMS). MANAGERS ARE WARNED NOT TO CHOOSE DATA PROCESSING SYSTEMS WITHOUT CAREFUL ANALYSES OF THEIR PROGRAMS' NEEDS. THUS, MANAGERS SHOULD SURVEY OTHER, SIMILAR PROGRAMS CONCERNING THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH DATA PROCESSING; SEEK ADVICE FROM COMPUTER VENDORS OR OTHER CONSULTANTS; CAREFULLY SELECT A DATA-PROCESSING TEAM TO DEVELOP THE SYSTEM; DETERMINE THE SYSTEM'S OBJECTIVES; AND DEVELOP DETAILED SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS. IN DETERMINING PROGRAM INFORMATION NEEDS AND SPECIFICATIONS, MANAGERS OR PROCESSING TEAMS SHOULD BROADLY DEFINE SYSTEM FRAMEWORK; PLAN AND BUDGET A SMALL, WORKING EXAMPLE OF THE SYSTEM (A MODULE); AND TAKE GREAT CARE IN BUYING A SYSTEM FROM COMMERCIAL VENDORS. A REFERENCE AND TABULAR INFORMATION ARE INCLUDED. (PAP)