For years, health care providers produced expertly charted SOAP (subjective, objective, assessment and plan) notes and handwritten plans of care compiled in heavy file folders. Thus, transitioning to the EHR was not always a comfortable process. However, the field has now adapted and found value in its use. As nursing leadership expanded in scope and responsibility, the EHR capabilities supported this growth. Individuals who became RNs or NPs after EHRs became the standard quickly became superusers and technology leaders.
That said, few opportunities have existed for providers to advance further in Health Informatics. Despite the introduction of “health care disruption, ” introduced as early as 2000 by innovation and growth expert Clayton M. Christensen, it has only been over the past several years that we have begun to look to disruption for ways to deliver high-quality care for patients at a lower cost while working to satisfy both patients and clinicians.
“As we’re working toward meeting the quadruple aim in health care, we need to consider tools that will help us help both our patients
What Exactly Is Health Informatics?
Ourselves, ” said Susan Conaty-Buck, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, health care informatics researcher at the University of Delaware and family NP at Nurse Managed Primary Care Clinic. “NPs are leaders in our profession, trained to be able to look for solutions to care for people, whether that’s the best medicine, best tests or best procedures. We should owe it to our patients and ourselves to investigate resources that present opportunities for patients to work with us on their quest for health.”
In addition to an exploding array of technologies available within the health care setting—including telehealth, artificial intelligence, robotics, virtual and augmented reality, interoperability, nutrigenomics and big data analytics—tech giants such as Apple, Google and IBM have also developed products to not only benefit from sales but also from the capture of personal and population health data. This has increased the commercialization of health care by allowing a third partner in the delivery of care.
As patients experience frustration with the lack of access to affordable, patient-centered care, more are adopting corporate solutions, such as wearable health technology, to provide self-care. These can be highly successful at helping patients manage their health, but teaming these with clinician care can significantly boost effectiveness.
Nurse Documentation And The Electronic Health Record
“As practitioners, we can help patients stay safe and understand how their data is going to be used, whether we simply accept this data and scan it into their records or update our equipment to seamlessly receive that data to coordinate care, ” said Dr. Conaty-Buck. “Ultimately, the goal is to use technology appropriate for what you’re trying to accomplish for care of the patient. For some, that’s what helps you to choose the best care options for your individual patients. For others, it’s how you and your practice will be collecting and using big data to come up with predictive analytics to see trends in patient populations. We entered the health care field to provide exemplary care to our patients, and health informatics is one avenue contributing to making this happen.”
The Health Informatics and Telehealth Specialty Practice Group (SPG) offers a unique opportunity to interactively collaborate with colleagues who share interest or clinical expertise in health information technology (IT). As an SPG member, you’ll have access to a cutting-edge, online forum where you can engage in discussions, document sharing and knowledge exchange with fellow NPs.
Working to fulfill the mission of empowering all NPs to advance quality health care through practice, education, advocacy, research and leadership, members will soon have even more opportunities to use advanced health informatics to improve evidence-based patient care!
Healthcare Informatics Research
HIMSS®19 brings together world-class education and cutting-edge solutions to help solve your health technology challenges. is a collaborator of HIMSS19, meaning you can receive a discount to attend the conference in Orlando February 11–15, 2019.
To use the discount, select from the Conference Collaborating Organizations drop-down menu during the registration process and enter the code COLLABH19.The answer to this question is still evolving as new technology continues to change both the way health care is delivered and the methods used to ensure that vital health records are accurate, secure and accessible to both patients and their clinicians.
The ongoing changes affecting the closely related disciplines of health informatics (HI) and health information management (HIM) are especially important for practitioners in both fields, as they affect current and future job roles, responsibilities and career prospects.
Unlocking The Potential Of Electronic Health Records For Health Research
“Health information management is the practice of acquiring, analyzing and protecting digital and traditional medical information vital to providing quality patient care. It is a combination of business, science and information technology, ” according to the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).
Working to accurately and securely manage patients’ medical data, HIM professionals work in a diverse set of roles that affect the quality of patient information and patient care at every touchpoint in the health care delivery cycle.
Health care informatics refers to using data and information technology to improve clinical outcomes, lower the cost of care and improve both the patient and provider experience. It has significant applications for health care professionals, public health specialists, insurance industry professionals, medical researchers and biotech companies.
What Is The Relevance Of Informatics To Global Health And E Health?
A health information management professional obtains, analyzes and protects patients’ medical information, whether in digital or traditional paper form. These professionals focus on securing and managing personal health information and also process records related to billing, patient privacy, data governance and regulatory compliance.
A health informatics professional uses their training and knowledge of health care, information systems, databases and information technology to gather, store, analyze and manage patient data and the process of clinical documentation.
Similar to a health information professional, professionals in these positions work at hospitals, clinics, medical groups, pharmacies and laboratories. But health informatics professionals also work at health insurance organizations, medical consulting organizations, medical research laboratories and health information technology suppliers.
Health Informatics Explained
Health information management involves the organization, processing and management of data — everything from patient medical records to billing and coding information.
Health informatics, on the other hand, refers to using patient and provider data to achieve specific desired outcomes. A subsection of health informatics, health data analytics, is an area of data science that includes organizing, managing and analyzing large and varied data sets.
HIM professionals work in a diverse set of roles that affect the quality of patient information and patient care at every touchpoint in the health care delivery system. For health information management professionals, the field of health informatics holds great potential for career advancement in roles that require more complex analysis and technical skills.
Health Informatics Powerpoint And Google Slides Template
Health informatics is an exciting prospect for many working in health information management because the HIM field traditionally has been one that could feel somewhat limiting in terms of possibilities for moving up the career ladder.
While the medical world’s ever-greater ability to collect and analyze data, and use it to improve human health, is common to both the health information management and health informatics professions — the expanding impact of digital technology in modern medicine has created significant demand for professionals equipped with advanced education in informatics.
For those who aspire to position themselves for success in the evolving HI vs. HIM employment landscape, the need to develop new skill sets is paramount.
How Does Electronic Health Records Improve Patient Care?
Since health informatics is a rapidly evolving field, you will want to look for a program that offers an up-to-date curriculum that not only introduces you to the technical, programmatic and analytics skills but also addresses current issues such as population health analysis, data security, AI/machine learning, predictive analytics, clinical documentation and workflow optimization.
As the science of informatics continues to revolutionize health care, graduate degree programs such as the University of San Diego’s M.S. in Health Care Informatics have embraced the mission of helping current and future generations of health information management and health informatics professionals.
Download free Career Guide: “A Career in Health Care Informatics: How Big Data & Technology Are Creating New Opportunities to Work in Health Care”
Future Of Blockchain In Healthcare: Potential To Improve The Accessibility, Security And Interoperability Of Electronic Health Records
What are the differences between health information management and health informatics? The answer to this question is still evolving as new technology continues to change both the way health care is delivered and the methods used to ensure that vital health records are accurate, secure and accessible to both patients…One doesn’t need a crystal ball to determine the direction that EHRs will take over the next several years. As providers move quickly to embrace EHRs, which are designed to store and share information from all providers involved in a patient’s care, health informatics specialists will continue to be in high demand as healthcare facilities implement new systems, upgrade existing databases and work toward achieving the three stages of “meaningful use.” The potent force shaping that direction will be the Meaningful Use criteria of the EHR Incentive Programs. So far the agencies have closely followed Health Information Technology Policy Committee’s recommendations, and it is likely that they will continue to do so in the future. Office of the National Coordinator, in turn, is accountable for forming the EHR certification criteria which safeguards that EHRs can perform to specifications that allow for Meaningful Use.
Electronic Health Record Systems
