ABC of Health Informatics

New addition to the ABC series looking at how technology can aid health care

This ABC focuses on how patient data, health knowledge, and local service information are managed during the routine tasks that make up clinical work. It looks at medical record keeping, how to use the information that records contain for clinical, quality improvement and research activities, how to use new media to communicate with clinical colleagues and patients, and the availability and uses of clinical knowledge resources.

After a short introduction to health informatics, each chapter is organised around a typical patient scenario that illustrates information dilemmas arising in clinical consultations. These case studies help make the link between prescribing and treatment.

A final chapter considers the implications of informatics and eHealth for the future of the health professions and their work. It also includes a glossary of health informatics terms.

Click on the sample chapter above for a look at what is health information.