Medical Informatics: The Future of Health Information Managment |
 |
April 25, 2006
By Kathy A. Johnson
kathy.johnson@healthcare-programs.com
Healthcare Programs Columnist
The medical profession has seen an amazing increase in knowledge and a growing need for an effective way to manage health information. That's where medical informatics comes in.
What is Medical Informatics?
Medical informatics is the scientific field that deals with the storage, retrieval, analysis, and use of medical information. "In the same way that surgeons use scalpel and needle, those involved in informatics use tools such as clinical guidelines, medical languages, and information and communication systems to assist the study and dissemination of medical knowledge," wrote Jeremy Sims in the online edition of the British Medical Journal.
Medical informatics also emphasizes technology as an integral tool in the health information management.
Uses of Medical Informatics
"Among other things, medical informatics provides a record of prescriptions, therapy, and other healthcare information for each patient. It provides doctors and others with a way to find information more easily and rapidly. It keeps, organizes, and presents it in a way that is tuned to what the practitioner likes," according to Kathleen M. Hunter, Ph.D., R.N., who has more than 20 years of experience in informatics practice and who speaks and writes nationally on the topic. "Medical informatics can provide alerts and warnings, and point to medical literature that relates to the health problem at hand," she added.
Doctors, nurses, dieticians, physical therapists--anyone who provides healthcare--can use medical informatics, according to Hunter. Often, practitioners combine informatics with their clinical specialty.
Health Information Education
Medical informatics training is useful wherever health information management jobs are available--hospitals, health information technology system vendors, insurance companies, and academic departments. The American Medical Informatics Association web site lists formal medical informatics academic and training programs. Education opportunities include undergraduate and graduate degrees, online/distance learning programs, certificates, and informatics specialization within other degree programs.
Medical informatics may be the future of health information management. Study medical informatics now to be ready for that future.
Sources
American Medical Informatics Association
British Medical Journal
About the Author
Kathy A. Johnson has written articles on health, fitness, and many other topics in her career as a freelance writer and editor.
|
Related Articles |
 |
|
|
| |
