Health Information Technology Basics January 8, 2011 by Leola McNeill adapted from Information Technology Basics by June 2009, Kayla Calhoun & Dr. Frank.

Health Information Health Information Technology BasicsTechnology Basics

January 8, 2011 January 8, 2011 by Leola McNeill by Leola McNeill adapted from adapted from Information Technology Basics by Information Technology Basics by June 2009, Kayla Calhoun & Dr. Frank FlandersJune 2009, Kayla Calhoun & Dr. Frank Flanders

ObjectivesObjectives

Define information technology.Define information technology. Describe how technology impacts the healthcare Describe how technology impacts the healthcare

industryindustry Describe Concept of Health Informatics technologyDescribe Concept of Health Informatics technology Compare and contrast current types of healthcare Compare and contrast current types of healthcare

networks information technology (IT) applications. networks information technology (IT) applications. What are long range plans for information What are long range plans for information

technology and careers.technology and careers.

Information Technology Information Technology

Method used to:Method used to:Process Process Protect Protect StoreStoreTransmitTransmitRetrieveRetrieve

DATADATA

Health Information Technology (HIT)Health Information Technology (HIT)

Information Technology is the wave of the future for healthcare management

HIT- refers to the technology used to create, transmit, store, secure and manage an individual’s health data.

Currently electronic health data is limited to a single healthcare system, facility or office.

Concept of using IT in Concept of using IT in healthcarehealthcare

The concept of interoperable sharing of health information will authorized entities access (i.e. physician's, billing)

IT use in healthcare is a expanding concept to have an impact on: Enhancing healthcare safety Decrease healthcare cost, and Enhance healthcare quality

The need has been recognized by the private sectors and at the highest levels of government

Define modern health information Define modern health information technology.technology.

Use of computer hardware and software to Use of computer hardware and software to manage health care informationmanage health care information

Increases legibilityIncreases legibility

DataData

The vision is that reliable health-related The vision is that reliable health-related information will exist electronically in a format information will exist electronically in a format that can be securely and easily accessed by that can be securely and easily accessed by authorized agencies to:authorized agencies to: Improve the health of the individual Improve the health of the individual Improve health a communityImprove health a community And ultimately of the U.S. population as a wholeAnd ultimately of the U.S. population as a whole

DataData continuedcontinued.

Health information is obtained, entered Health information is obtained, entered electronically, stored and retrievable to promote electronically, stored and retrievable to promote continuity among providerscontinuity among providers

Data entered electronically promotes adherence Data entered electronically promotes adherence to the National Patient Safety Goals (NPSG)to the National Patient Safety Goals (NPSG)

The Joint Commission lists the current The Joint Commission lists the current standards and goals on its website:standards and goals on its website: http://

www.jointcommission.org/standards_information/npsgs.aspx

Data StorageData Storage

After data is converted into bits, it can be stored After data is converted into bits, it can be stored in bytes (a string of 8 bits)in bytes (a string of 8 bits)

Primary storage, or memory, is located in the Primary storage, or memory, is located in the hard drive and can be directly accessed by the hard drive and can be directly accessed by the central processing unit (CPU)central processing unit (CPU)

Secondary storage: located outside the Secondary storage: located outside the computer; ex: disks, CDs, USB sticks, external computer; ex: disks, CDs, USB sticks, external hard driveshard drives Good for security purposesGood for security purposes

Challenges of Healthcare Data Challenges of Healthcare Data ProtectionProtection

Prevention of data corruptionPrevention of data corruption Limits access to dataLimits access to data

Disk encryptionDisk encryption Backup – internal or external copies of data files in Backup – internal or external copies of data files in

case of accidental data losscase of accidental data loss Data masking – hiding specific private data within a Data masking – hiding specific private data within a

databasedatabase Data erasure – destroys all electronic data on a Data erasure – destroys all electronic data on a

hard drive to maintain privacy if it is discarded or hard drive to maintain privacy if it is discarded or

reusedreused

Data ProcessingData Processing

Conversion of data into usable Conversion of data into usable informationinformation

Fetches instructions for a program from Fetches instructions for a program from memorymemory Decodes and reads instructionsDecodes and reads instructions Portions of the CPU connect and execute Portions of the CPU connect and execute

instructionsinstructions Writes back the results to memoryWrites back the results to memory

Data TransmissionData Transmission

Physical transfer of data over a medium, Physical transfer of data over a medium, such as copper wire, optical fiber, or such as copper wire, optical fiber, or wirelesswireless

Networks: enable two or more Networks: enable two or more computers to share files, printers, and computers to share files, printers, and communicate with each othercommunicate with each other

Health Information NetworksHealth Information Networks

Local Area Network (LAN): contained Local Area Network (LAN): contained within one healthcare practice or hospital within one healthcare practice or hospital commonly referred to as an intranetcommonly referred to as an intranet

Wide Area Network (WAN): connects Wide Area Network (WAN): connects several healthcare practices or hospitals several healthcare practices or hospitals Ex: InternetEx: Internet

Health Information Networks, continued.Health Information Networks, continued.

Client-server: Healthcare organization Client-server: Healthcare organization computers are all connected by a central computers are all connected by a central server; can be LAN or WANserver; can be LAN or WAN

Peer-to-Peer: Healthcare facility or office Peer-to-Peer: Healthcare facility or office practice computers are connected to practice computers are connected to each other, but files are not stored in a each other, but files are not stored in a central location; can only be LANcentral location; can only be LAN

Health Information Networks, continued.Health Information Networks, continued.

ServerServer: large & powerful digital storage : large & powerful digital storage point that performs a service for other point that performs a service for other computers in a network; file, print, web, mail computers in a network; file, print, web, mail is used to maintain patient informationis used to maintain patient information

Use of a server makes it easier to maintain Use of a server makes it easier to maintain security and perform backups when health security and perform backups when health information files are centrally storedinformation files are centrally stored

Health Information is protected by HIPAA Health Information is protected by HIPAA (Health Information Privacy and (Health Information Privacy and Accountability Act)Accountability Act)

InternetInternet

With the advances in technology, the With the advances in technology, the internet is used for obtaining and internet is used for obtaining and providing health informationproviding health information IP Address: each computer has one; IP Address: each computer has one;

enables data to be sent to and received enables data to be sent to and received from a specific computer and creates an from a specific computer and creates an electronic fingerprint for legal purposeselectronic fingerprint for legal purposes

E-mailE-mail

Data RetrievalData Retrieval

““Science of searching”Science of searching” User enters a query (ex: User enters a query (ex:

search string on web search string on web search engine or search engine or computer hard drive)computer hard drive)

Computer information Computer information retrieval system scores retrieval system scores objects in database by objects in database by relevancy and displays relevancy and displays those most relevant to those most relevant to the querythe query

Common IT ApplicationsCommon IT Applications

Word processors: used to create and Word processors: used to create and edit documentsedit documents

Spreadsheets: used to analyze figures Spreadsheets: used to analyze figures and present information with and present information with graphs/chartsgraphs/charts

Databases: stores information about a Databases: stores information about a set of similar itemsset of similar items

Common IT ApplicationsCommon IT Applications

Publishing: more control over formatting Publishing: more control over formatting and arranging than word processingand arranging than word processing

PowerPoint: used in business PowerPoint: used in business presentations and the classroom to presentations and the classroom to present factual information or for present factual information or for persuasive purposespersuasive purposes

Careers in Health Informatics Careers in Health Informatics

Health Professionals use computers and store Health Professionals use computers and store information electronically dailyinformation electronically daily

Health Informatics specialists are needed to Health Informatics specialists are needed to manage those health information systems and manage those health information systems and protect client information.protect client information.

Some jobs in Health Informatics:Some jobs in Health Informatics: Health Information Management DirectorHealth Information Management Director Nurse Informatics SpecialistNurse Informatics Specialist Health Information Project ManagerHealth Information Project Manager Chief Information Officer (CIO)Chief Information Officer (CIO)

Top Skills of HIT Professionals are:Top Skills of HIT Professionals are:

Computer NetworkingComputer Networking Information SecurityInformation SecurityDatabase ManagementDatabase Management Information Storage and Information Storage and

RetrievalRetrievalRisk ManagementRisk Management

How fast things change!!!How fast things change!!!

Mass Data Storage and RetrievalMass Data Storage and Retrieval

Challenge how to maintain security of information on server

Connect the Pieces of the Connect the Pieces of the PatientPatient puzzle puzzle

SummarySummary

The information age has created the new career field The information age has created the new career field of health information technology. of health information technology.

The goal of Health Information technology is to use The goal of Health Information technology is to use computer hardware and software to manage computer hardware and software to manage healthcare and patient information.healthcare and patient information.

Healthcare professionals use computer systems to Healthcare professionals use computer systems to gather, process, store, protect, transmit, and retrieve gather, process, store, protect, transmit, and retrieve data.data.

Computers are used in healthcare setting and Computers are used in healthcare setting and connected to each other by networks, limited.connected to each other by networks, limited.

Due to the complexity and extent of healthcare Due to the complexity and extent of healthcare network, facilities may have one or more servers, network, facilities may have one or more servers, which store patient files in a central location. which store patient files in a central location.

Summary, continuedSummary, continued

Health information is being transmitted across networks Health information is being transmitted across networks to promote continuity of care for patients among to promote continuity of care for patients among providersproviders

Common healthcare software applications are word Common healthcare software applications are word processors, spreadsheets, databases, publishing, and processors, spreadsheets, databases, publishing, and PowerPoint PowerPoint

Electronic Health Information companies exist to train Electronic Health Information companies exist to train and manage complex healthcare systems. and manage complex healthcare systems.

Healthcare workers must be prepared to learn and adapt Healthcare workers must be prepared to learn and adapt to the use of computer in healthcare.to the use of computer in healthcare.

Challenges: Maintaining confidentiality; interoperability; Challenges: Maintaining confidentiality; interoperability; consistent language and patient trust in securityconsistent language and patient trust in security

Consider the possibilities…Consider the possibilities…

Questions?Questions?