Health information technology

Health Information Technology

Health Information Technology (HIT) is the application of information processing involving both computer hardware and software that deals with the storage, retrieval, sharing, and use of health care information, data, and knowledge for communication and decision making.

Pronunciation

Health Information Technology: /hɛlθ ˌɪnfərˈmeɪʃən tɛkˈnɒlədʒi/

Etymology

The term "Health Information Technology" is a combination of "health" (from Old English hǣlþ, of Germanic origin; related to whole), "information" (from Latin informatio(n-), from the verb informare), and "technology" (from Greek tekhnologia ‘systematic treatment,’ from tekhnē ‘art, craft’ + -logia).

Related Terms

Electronic Health Records (EHRs)
Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE)
Health Information Exchange (HIE)
Telemedicine
mHealth (mobile health)
Health IT Standards
Health IT Policy
Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS)

Overview

Health Information Technology (HIT) is a multidisciplinary field that applies computer technology to health care. It involves the use of electronic health records, computerized physician order entry, health information exchange, telemedicine, mHealth, health IT standards, health IT policy, and clinical decision support systems.

HIT is designed to manage health data and turn it into useful information that can improve patient care and public health, increase efficiency in health care delivery, and reduce health care costs.

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Health information technology