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Healthc are Information Technology Key

Terms and Components

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Introduction

Healthcare information technology encompasses various components used to

store and manage health information, including hardware, software, networks, and

data. Critical HIT principles include computer literacy, medical informatics, and

national health information networks (Meyers, 2022). Electronic health records,

imaging systems, lab/pharmacy information systems, and billing and coding apps are

all considered base HIT systems. The convergence of HIT components such as

hardware, software, network, data management, and user training helps avoid

inefficiencies, reduce mistakes, and provide better decision-making and quality

healthcare. Engaging fully with HIT provides the highest quality and cost-efficient

healthcare possible.

Health care information technology terms

Health Care Information Technology (HIT) is a term that collectively

represents the usage of computer hardware, software, and networks to perform data

and information operations about human health, such as storing, processing,

analyzing, and transmitting. This innovation is crucial for better patient care,

decreasing healthcare costs, and increasing operations efficiency; it is also at the core

of healthcare organizations. The HIMSS review states that HIT has a good chance to

raise the level and quality of care by reducing its costs and increasing the outcomes

from the administrative side.

Computer literacy

Computer literacy is the knowledge and skills needed to use computer

information and communication technology (ICT), such as hardware, software,

applications, and their known usage. In healthcare, computer literacy is inevitable to

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facilitate HIT applications and ensure the efficient delivery of the best quality patient

care.

Medical informatics

Medical informatics, an interdisciplinary field, is where computer science,

information science, and health care get together to develop a system that is the best

for acquiring, keeping, fetching, and using health-related data and information. As per

the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA), Medical informatics is the

discipline that focuses on the data and communications of health data.

Nationwide hospital information network

A national hospital information network is a distributed system that transmits

and stores patient data and information from all hospitals, clinics, and other health

entities nationwide (Tith et al., 2020). This system helps healthcare providers and the

participants in the healthcare system to communicate, coordinate, and provide

continuity of care for patients.

Cultural orientations of health management information system (HMIS)

User Oriented: A human-centered HMIS design considers the users on one

end of the organization chain, including healthcare professionals, managers, and

patients, providing simplicity, easy navigation, and optimizing workflows.

The technology-oriented aspect stresses the application of modern

technologies such as hardware, software, databases, and networks to develop reliable,

safe, and scalable solutions for making this data and information available. According

to the Journal of Biomedical Informatics, the HMIS implementing technology

solutions should be at the frontier of computing and networking for sustained

effectiveness and growth.

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Data-Oriented: HMISs that are data-driven take care of data interoperability

and exchange standards.

Process-Oriented: Procedure-oriented HMIS allows for the performance of

diverse healthcare processes that include patients' registration, scheduling, billing, and

clinical workflows. These integrated processes result in operational efficiency and

less time-consuming procedures.

Computer information systems in a typical hospital

Electronic Health Records (EHR) Systems: An EHR stands for electronic

health record, a digital version of a patient's medical record consisting of a detailed

medical history, current conditions, treatments, associated medication, and test results

(Serbanati, 2020). Hence, its primary function is to allow healthcare professionals to

have uninterrupted access to and share the patient's record.

Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS): PACS are systems

used for the management of storing, getting, and transferring medical images like X-

rays, CT scans, and MRI scans that may be used by radiologists as well as other

health care providers easily as they communicate.

Laboratory Information Systems (LIS): LIS systems regulate the steps and

progress within laboratory operations more precisely, starting with the path to order

the tests, followed by specimen processing, results reporting, and data analysis, to

guarantee the preparation and timely sending of laboratory test results.

Pharmacy Information Systems: These systems assist managing medications,

such as prescription processing, inventory control, drug-interaction checks, and

patient education. They reduce medication errors, leading to better patient safety.

Billing and Coding Systems: This integrated system eliminates the

inaccuracies related to billing and coding procedures. It submits claims and manages
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reimbursement effectively, allowing the organization to improve its revenue cycle

management and financial processes.

Components of health care information technology (IT)

Hardware: These include computers, servers, storage devices, networking

equipment, and peripheral devices which are used by the domain for processing,

storing, and transmitting healthcare data and information. HIMSS explains that

Healthcare infrastructure must be resilient to handle all types of healthcare

information technology applications.

Software: It includes different applications where EHRs, practice management

systems, clinical decision support systems, and data analytics can facilitate healthcare

operations and make the best decisions.

Data Management: The first part is data collection, storage, and organization,

which can be accessed anytime, anywhere, as long as there is security and integrity to

the data (Sheikh et al., 2021).

Networking and Communication: These include LANs (local area networks),

WANs (wide area networks), and secure communication channels that exchange

healthcare data and information between healthcare providers, facilities, and patients,

thus resulting in efficient collaborative and coordinated care.

User Training and Support: Proper end-user training and technical support are

essential elements of HIT that provide healthcare personnel and staff with the

necessary expertise in the therapeutic use of healthcare information systems and

technologies, increasing usage and efficiency.

Conclusion

In conclusion, essential health information technology systems such as EHRs,

PACS, and lab and pharmacy applications are a transition that has streamlined
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workflow and processes. On the contrary, making the most of the potential of HIT

consists of managing the sophisticated apparatus of hardware, software, data

management, networking, and user training. With time, healthcare organizations will

need to turn to HIT and use it to standardize data, reduce costs and errors, and

improve patient outcomes. Understanding key HIT terms, along with HIT elements, is

a prerequisite for the quality, safety, and efficiency of healthcare.

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References

Meyers, D. L. (2022). HIT, Informatics and Ethics. Health Informatics, 435–451.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07912-2_29

Serbanati, L. D. (2020). Health Digital State and Smart EHR Systems. Informatics in

Medicine Unlocked, 21, 100494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imu.2020.100494

Sheikh, A., Anderson, M., Albala, S., Casadei, B., Franklin, B., Richards, M., Taylor, D.,

Tibble, H., & Mossialos, E. (2021). Health information technology and digital

innovation for national learning health and care systems. The Lancet Digital Health,

3(6), e383–e396. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2589-7500(21)00005-4

Tith, D., Lee, J.-S., Suzuki, H., Wijesundara, W. M. A. B., Taira, N., Obi, T., & Ohyama, N.

(2020). Application of Blockchain to Maintaining Patient Records in Electronic

Health Record for Enhanced Privacy, Scalability, and Availability. Healthcare

Informatics Research, 26(1), 3. https://doi.org/10.4258/hir.2020.26.1.3