Information Technology for the Health Professions

This comprehensive survey of the interconnections of IT and health care is the only up-to-date book that teaches computer literacy AND introduces readers to the uses of information technology in health care and its delivery. Familiarizes readers with the basic vocabulary and concepts necessary to computer literacy—including discussions of hardware and software, communications and networking, and ethical issues and privacy concerns introduced by the pervasiveness of computers in society. In addition, it discusses how IT is transforming every aspect of health care and its delivery—from administrative applications (such as the electronic medical record), to clinical systems involved in direct patient care, to special- purpose applications (such as simulation software used in the education of health care professionals). Section I provides a general introduction to computer literacy and information technology— at a level appropriate for health care students. Section II examines the impact of Information Technology on health care— specifically in the fields of radiology, telemedicine, surgery, medical devices, pharmacy, and informational resources.