Health Information Technology

An explanation of what I am currently going to school for:

Health information technology (HIT) is “the application of information processing involving both computer hardware and software that deals with the storage, retrieval, sharing, and use of health care information, data, and knowledge for communication and decision making”

Health information technology (HIT1) provides the umbrella framework to describe the comprehensive management of health information across computerized systems and its secure exchange between consumers, providers, government and quality entities, and insurers. Health information technology (HIT) is in general increasingly viewed as the most promising tool for improving the overall quality, safety and efficiency of the health delivery system (Chaudhry et al., 2006). Broad and consistent utilization of HIT will:
Improve health care quality or effectiveness;
Increase health care productivity or efficiency;
Prevent medical errors and increase health care accuracy and procedural correctness;
Reduce health care costs;
Increase administrative efficiencies and healthcare work processes;
Decrease paperwork and unproductive or idle work time;
Extend real-time communications of health informatics among health care professionals; and
Expand access to affordable care.

Health information sharing between patients and providers helps to improve diagnosis, promotes self care, and patients also know more information about their health. The use of electronic medical records (EMRs) is still scarce now but is increasing in Canada, American and British primary care. Healthcare information in EMRs are important sources for clinical, research, and policy questions. Health information privacy (HIP) and security has been a big concern for patients and providers. Studies in Europe evaluating electronic health information poses a threat to electronic medical records and exchange of personal information.