New-Hire Information Sheet
Nursing Informatics
Key Components
Nursing informatics is a specialty that integrates nursing science with computer science and information science to improve patient care and outcomes. Nursing informatics nurses use their knowledge of nursing, technology, and information to:
- Design, implement, and evaluate information systems to support nursing practice and patient care.
- Use data to improve clinical decision-making and research.
- Educate and train nurses and other healthcare professionals on the use of technology and information.
- Advocate for the use of nursing informatics to improve the healthcare system.
Historical Evolution of Health Informatics
Health informatics is a relatively new field, emerging in the early 1970s with the development of electronic health records (EHRs). However, the roots of health informatics can be traced back to the earliest attempts to collect and analyze health data.
In the early 19th century, Florence Nightingale used data to show the relationship between poor sanitation and high mortality rates among soldiers during the Crimean War. Her work helped to establish the importance of data collection and analysis in improving health outcomes.
In the mid-20th century, the development of computers and information technology began to revolutionize the healthcare industry. In 1965, the first EHR system was developed at Massachusetts General Hospital. EHRs have since become an essential tool for healthcare providers, allowing them to electronically store and access patient medical records.
The development of EHRs and other health information technologies has led to the emergence of health informatics as a distinct field of study. Today, health informatics is a rapidly growing field with a wide range of applications in healthcare.
HITECH Act and Meaningful Use
The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act was signed into law in 2009 as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The HITECH Act was designed to promote the adoption and meaningful use of health information technology (HIT) in the United States.
The HITECH Act established the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs, which provide financial incentives to healthcare providers to adopt and use EHRs. The HITECH Act also defined meaningful use as the use of EHRs to improve the quality, safety, and efficiency of healthcare.
The meaningful use requirements have evolved over time, but they have generally focused on the following areas:
- Electronic prescribing
- Clinical decision support
- Electronic health information exchange
- Public health reporting
- Patient engagement
The meaningful use requirements have been successful in promoting the adoption and use of EHRs in the United States. Today, over 90% of eligible hospitals and physicians have adopted EHRs.
Conclusion
Nursing informatics is a vital field that plays an important role in improving healthcare. Nursing informatics nurses use their knowledge of nursing, technology, and information to improve patient care and outcomes.
The HITECH Act and the meaningful use requirements have played a major role in promoting the adoption and use of EHRs in the United States. This has led to significant improvements in the quality, safety, and efficiency of healthcare.
