Health care information systems

The health care industry spent between $12 billion and $16 billion on information technology (IT) in 1996. Further exponential growth is expected as the health care industry implements electronic medical records, upgrades hospital information systems, sets up intranets for sharing information among related participants, and uses public networks, such as the Internet, to distribute health-related information and provide remote diagnostics via telemedicine. The challenge lies in using various forms of IT to organize, store, and present health information in a timely and efficient manner for effective health-related decision-making. The various applications of IT in health care are generally referred to as health care information systems that encompass a wide range of applications from many disciplines. Potential applications include electronic systems for claims processing, imaging systems to scan documents, and multimedia technology for the education and training of physicians, patients, and remote diagnostics.