Health Information System

Abstract

Information systems (IS) help in managing healthcare costs and in improving the quality of care. IS are uniquely positioned to capture, store, process, and communicate timely information to decision makers for better coordination of healthcare at both the individual and population levels. One of the most interesting aspects of HIS (Health Information System) is how to manage the relationship between healthcare providers and patients. The main focus of this Chapter is a brief overview of Health Information Systems and the description of the techniques that can be used to develop the health information systems. There are various emerging tools and technologies in creating and managing HIS like data mining and geographical information system. Developing HIS can improve access for geographically isolated communities; provide support for health care workers; aid in data sharing; provide visual tools linking population and environmental information with disease outbreaks.