The healthcare services industry is very large and each day, it generates and processes large amounts of confidential and complex data related to diagnosis, monitoring, billing for healthcare services, health management of patients and assess management of healthcare providers. We know that healthcare processes involve the collaboration and combined efforts of multiple individuals such as the physicians, nursing staff, technicians etc. In addition to this, there is always an involvement of various other parties such as insurance companies, pharmacies and sometimes even lawyers in cases of malpractice. Owing to all this, information and communication technologies such as the IT are increasingly playing an influential role in the working environment and practices of almost all allied health care professionals. A major area of the healthcare complex is seen emerging in the last few years, termed as “Clinical Informatics”.
This particular area addresses the efficient and concise use of medical knowledge information in patient care settings. This particular field emphasizes on how data, information and knowledge are captured, controlled, stored, used and transmitted for clinical applications. Hence, Clinical Informatics is not just a mere training in how to use technological tools, but it is the application of health and biomedical informatics within the profession of clinical practice.
A recent example of an application of Clinical Informatics is the use of Electronic Health Record Systems (EHRs) across hospitals. Clinical Informatics aims in benefitting patient care and clinical informatics professionals are looking to develop and implement a range of electronic tools to support this notion. Recently, there has been a general consensus amongst the medical fraternity that future healthcare professionals need to be exposed to specific learning activities in their entry level to build their competency level in Clinical Informatics. For professionals wanting to join this dynamic field, there are a plenty of job options available to choose from. Some of the job titles could be as Administrative assistant in clinical informatics, clinical informatics manager, clinical professional, pathology link manager etc. Clinical Informatics is the scientific discipline which aims to seek the enhancement of human health by implementing information technology, computer science and management techniques to prevent illness and diseases, deliverance of efficient patient care and improve on biomedical knowledge.