Current trends and challenges in health informatics

Abstract

This paper outlines the roles of health informatics in modern health planning and delivery and defines the key challenges and opportunities for promoting high-quality and cost-effective care. It describes the main information management and technology drivers that improve the generation, use and flow of health information, categorizing these drivers under the headings of healthcare complexity, policy and priorities, clinical support and technology. The discussion draw attention to the ethical and legal issues associated with the drivers and summarizes the general features of these issues as they arise from computer-mediated medicine.