What are Healthcare Information Systems?

HIMS 650

What is Information Technology?

§  Hardware §  Desktop, laptop, tablet computers §  Mobile devices: phones, cameras, pens, etc. §  Tables, refrigerators, ovens §  Anything that uses information and shares it with

something else to facilitate shared decision-making §  Software §  Networks § What is “Computer Literacy” in the 21st century?

What are Information Systems?

§  Data §  Raw numbers, digits,

letters, words

§  Information §  Interpreted meaning of

data

§  Knowledge §  Patterns derived from

Information

§  Wisdom §  Application of knowledge

Healthcare Information Systems

§  Patient administration systems §  Patient care / clinical systems

§  Bedside §  Nurses station §  Etc.

§  Administrative §  Financial §  Business intelligence §  Operational §  Communication §  Etc.

§  Commerce §  Procurement §  Supply-chain

HIMS Topic Map

Hospital to Clinics

•  Not much

Now

•  EHR / EHR integration •  Tools to allow better

patient continuity

Soon

Hospital to Pharmacy

•  Prescriptions to certain pharmacies

•  Patient information

Now

•  Sharing of more EHR information

•  Prescriptions for many pharmacies

•  Consultation on drug interactions

Soon

Hospital to Manufacturers

•  Online ordering •  JIT inventory •  Rebates •  Department management

software

Now

•  ???

Soon

Hospital to Insurance

•  Automated billing codes •  Preauthorization •  Patient information

Now

•  Insurance advising on course of care based on data mining?

Soon

Healthcare Providers to Patient

•  Some patient portals for billing, insurance, registration, etc.

•  In room systems for patient education

Now

•  Tools to further empower patients

•  More use of patient portal •  PHR / EHR integration? •  Customized patient

education and recommended regimen

Soon

So Where is this Going?

And What is Actually Going On?

§  More and more of the clinical space is converting to digital information technology, BUT

§  It is PEOPLE that deliver healthcare

§  Does technology can help or hinder healthcare? Actually, it does both

Are we being overrun by technology?