Healthcare information technology, also referred to as Health IT, encompasses electronic health records (EHRs) and expands access to more economical healthcare. There are various services involved with Healthcare information technology, including telehealth, health information exchange (HIE) and healthcare data warehousing. All of these revolve around the management of electronic health information and patient care. The implementation of digitizing healthcare is a colossal task, but one with many benefits.
There is huge incentive to go digital in the healthcare industry. The ability to retrieve patient EHRs online leaves substantially less risk of making an incorrect diagnosis, or prescribing a wrong or conflicting medication. It substantially reduces paperwork and is more economical. Patients will have access to their health records and can take a more active role in their health care. Patients now have the option of treating chronic disease from home with telehealth solutions. With emerging healthcare technologies, including video conferencing and HIE, patients have access to specialists that may not have been an option previously. Healthcare data warehousing offers a solution to healthcare data storage and management. Storage of hardcopy medical files is expensive and impractical; having these files managed digitally can save a great deal of time and money.