Information technology in health care delivery: an overview

Background: The use of electronic processes in healthcare dated back to at least the 1990s. Usage of the term varies as it covers not just "Internet medicine" as it was conceived during that time, but also "virtually everything related to computers and medicine". A study in 2005 found 51 unique definitions. Some argue that it is interchangeable with health informatics with a broad definition covering electronic/digital processes in health while others use it in the narrower sense of healthcare practice using the Internet. It can also include health applications and links on mobile phones, referred to as mHealth or m-Health.

Objective: This paper reviewed the several facets of health information technologies (HIT), Health Informatics (HI), electronic Health (eHealth), Pharmacy Informatics and their place in improving patient and therapy management, patient outcomes, and access to medical care.

Methods: Literature databases such as Elsevier, Pubmed, Scopus, Google Scholar, BioMed Central, and ScienceDirect were engaged in the review work. The specific keywords related to the review were identified and used.

Results: Clear evidence exists on the growing impact that eHealth has on the delivery of health care around the world today, and how it is making health systems more efficient and more responsive to people's needs and expectations. With the increasing involvement of clinicians in the day-to-day running of health care delivery, interest is now focused on Electronic Health Record as a key area for improving clinical efficiency. For the healthcare practitioner, the subspecialty of clinical informatics is most relevant. Given the ongoing advances in information technology, the field of informatics is becoming important to clinical practice and to residency education. As technology continues to advance and evolve, the impact of informatics in health care will continue to grow. 

Conclusion: The future of medical informatics is promising and many healthcare professionals should have a background in informatics. Pharmacy informatics, a subset of health informatics, leverages both clinical expertise and knowledge about information technology to improve medication management processes and drug administration safety.