What is Healthcare Informatics?

  We're in the midst of the information economy right now and what that really refers to is the utilization of new technologies information technologies and information management that enhance process efficiencies people be able to work faster work smarter now this whole transformation the economy began in the mid 1990s with new investment in IT faster computer processing the internet becoming a vehicle for e-commerce email things like that hit the way we shop the way we work the way we just conduct our daily lives the result of this has been a dramatic increase in productivity in the United States productivity levels doubled from the 1990 1990 s until now in comparison to the previous decade the 70s and 80s this is largely attributed to the information economy the incorporation of new technologies information technologies now one industry unfortunately that was kind of left behind let's say or lagged this was the healthcare sector reason being oh you can cite a number of factors but here are a couple number one much of the activity in healthcare or health care services and involves the utilization of charting paper-based information if you think about it every time you go to a doctor there are asking questions what would your last treatment writing things down on charts if you're in the hospital nurses generally input things on charts and paper records doctors as well what's the problem with that let's say you have a hundred patients over two weeks period and you have the result is a stack of charts a stack of written information how can you analyze that written information what you have is the possibility of illegible information lost information or just the inability to say what's in there what's happening now in the healthcare sector is the incorporation of new technologies that are digitizing this paper-based resource or information resource into the computerized type of information so now instead of writing this in the paper-based form you're in inputting into things like computer order entry systems CPOE is a common term out there you're creating EHR electronic health records this is just one aspect of how information technology is transforming the efficiencies and productivity in the healthcare sector this really incorporates the realm of informatics ok it's kind of a term people throw around and I'd like to clarify what it is informatics really is utilization of information technologies and information management tactics to enhance process efficiencies my book healthcare informatics increasing efficiency and productivity addresses many many of the aspects of how new information technologies and information management is increasing efficiencies productivity's in healthcare organizations throughout the various processes many people understand how many processes there are and in just

a hospital loan you have radiology activities lab activities workflow activities when you check into the ER many times there's a lag I think we all know it when you sit in the ER how long does it take to actually see a doctor a lot of paperwork to be filled out a lot of logistical things behind the scenes with new technologies the process has become faster more efficient checking people in routing people to the right areas again just another aspect of where Information technologies can enhance efficiencies productivity and the ultimate result is reduced costs see that's the hot topic right now the whole debate about healthcare reform it's reducing costs and healthcare well what's happening is there's a natural

pulse going on right now and it's called investment in information technologies and the utilization of informatics. Informatics concepts to increase efficiencies and productivity and reduce cost this is already happening the interesting part is the process is just starting ok at some time four or five years from now when it becomes to maturity or when systems are well in place workers from nurses the doctors to administrators all embrace these new systems when the data these new systems are producing are available for analytics the potential efficiencies is dramatic and potential cost reductions are dramatic now really the ultimate result of this is it's not really a business performance financial performance thing it's giving patients the best treatment and the best outcomes as possible with the least costly type of applications there are a number of inefficiencies unproductive activities in healthcare organizations they do a great job US residents do get good health care it isn't there's no doubt but there are on the business and operational side a number of inefficiencies that exist in this whole informatics information technology and investment pulse is addressing that and will continue to address it from here on so you had the information economy in the rest of the US economy began mid-1990s and it is in dramatic effect right now it's only ten-fifteen years later look what's happened look how you conduct your daily activities it's just starting now in health care and the ramifications the implications are are dramatic for just a much better system more efficient better patient experience and a reduced

cost environment.