Knowledge Artifacts as Bridges between Theory and Practice: The Clinical Pathway Case

摘要

This paper discusses how Clinical Pathways (CPs) are defined, used and maintained in two hospital settings. A literature review and observational study are combined to illustrate the composite nature of CPs and the different roles they play in different phases of their life-cycle, with respect to the theme of bridging medical knowledge with the related practices by which physicians deal with a specific care problem. We take the case of the CP as a paradigmatic case to stress the urgent need for an integrated approach with the computer-based support of information and knowledge management in rapidly evolving cooperative work settings.