What is Data?

Answer: Data refers to raw, unprocessed facts, figures, and details collected through various means. In the context of healthcare, data can include patient information such as vital signs, lab results, and medical histories. These raw data points are the building blocks for generating meaningful information and insights when processed and analyzed.

Reference: McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2017). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

What is Electronic Medical Record (EMR)?

Answer: An Electronic Medical Record (EMR) is a digital version of the paper charts in a clinician’s office. It contains the medical and treatment history of the patients in one practice. EMRs allow for the efficient tracking of data over time, ease in identifying patients due for preventive visits and screenings, and monitoring patient outcomes.

Reference: Gartee, R. (2016). Electronic health records: Understanding and using computerized medical records. Pearson.

What is Knowledge Work?

Answer: Knowledge work involves tasks that primarily require handling or using information. This includes problem-solving, decision-making, and generating new ideas. In healthcare, knowledge workers, such as physicians and nurses, use clinical knowledge and judgment to provide patient care.

Reference: Drucker, P. F. (1999). Knowledge-worker productivity: The biggest challenge. California Management Review, 41(2), 79-94.

What is Health Information Exchange (HIE)?

Answer: Health Information Exchange (HIE) refers to the process of sharing health-related information among organizations according to nationally recognized standards. HIE allows healthcare providers and patients to access and securely share a patient’s medical information electronically, improving the speed, quality, safety, and cost of patient care.

Reference: Dixon, B. E. (2016). Health information exchange: Navigating and managing a network of health information systems. Academic Press.

What is Information System?

Answer: An Information System is a combination of technology, people, and processes that manage and distribute information. In healthcare, information systems support clinical decision-making, facilitate communication, and enhance the quality of patient care.

Reference: Wager, K. A., Lee, F. W., & Glaser, J. P. (2017). Health care information systems: A practical approach for health care management. John Wiley & Sons.

What is Knowledge?

Answer: Knowledge is the synthesis of information to create meaning and understanding. It is derived from information processed by analysis, experience, and learning. In healthcare, knowledge can guide clinical practice and decision-making to improve patient outcomes.

Reference: McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2017). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

What is Firewall?

Answer: A firewall is a network security device or software that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. It establishes a barrier between trusted internal networks and untrusted external networks, such as the internet, to protect sensitive information.

Reference: Stallings, W. (2015). Network security essentials: Applications and standards. Pearson.

What is Computer Science?

Answer: Computer Science is the study of computers and computational systems, encompassing both theoretical and practical aspects of computation, algorithms, and information processing. It includes software and hardware design, data structures, and artificial intelligence.

Reference: Brookshear, J. G. (2018). Computer science: An overview. Pearson.

What is Wisdom?

Answer: Wisdom involves the judicious application of knowledge to make sound decisions and judgments. It is the ability to apply relevant knowledge and experience thoughtfully and insightfully in various situations, particularly in complex or uncertain conditions.

Reference: Benner, P. (2001). From novice to expert: Excellence and power in clinical nursing practice. Prentice Hall.

What is Cognitive Science?

Answer: Cognitive Science is the interdisciplinary study of the mind and its processes, including perception, thinking, learning, and memory. It integrates psychology, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, philosophy, linguistics, and anthropology to understand cognitive functions.

Reference: Thagard, P. (2012). Cognitive science. MIT Press.

What is Electronic Health Record (EHR)?

Answer: An Electronic Health Record (EHR) is a digital record of a patient’s health information, encompassing their medical history, diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, immunization dates, allergies, radiology images, and laboratory test results. EHRs are designed to be shared across different healthcare settings.

Reference: Adler-Milstein, J., & Jha, A. K. (2017). HITECH act drove large gains in hospital electronic health record adoption. Health Affairs, 36(8), 1416-1422.

What is National Health Information Infrastructure (NHII)?

Answer: The National Health Information Infrastructure (NHII) is a comprehensive, interconnected system of health information technology designed to improve the quality, safety, and efficiency of healthcare delivery in the United States. It aims to facilitate the exchange of health information among healthcare providers, patients, and other stakeholders.

Reference: Detmer, D. E., & Shortliffe, E. H. (2014). National health information infrastructure (NHII) as a catalyst for improving quality of care and patient safety. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 47, 402-407.

What is Cognitive Informatics?

Answer: Cognitive Informatics is the study of how information is processed, represented, and used in the human mind. It combines concepts from cognitive science and informatics to understand the cognitive processes underlying human-computer interactions and improve the design of information systems.

Reference: Wang, Y. (2017). Cognitive informatics: Towards a unified theory of information, cognition, and intelligence. International Journal of Cognitive Informatics and Natural Intelligence, 11(1), 1-21.

What is Information Science?

Answer: Information Science is the study of how information is collected, classified, stored, retrieved, and disseminated. It encompasses various fields such as computer science, library science, and information systems to understand the principles and practices of information management.

Reference: Bawden, D., & Robinson, L. (2012). Introduction to information science. Facet Publishing.

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

Answer: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. These processes include learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and language understanding. AI technologies are used in various applications, including healthcare, to improve diagnostics, treatment planning, and patient outcomes.

Reference: Russell, S., & Norvig, P. (2020). Artificial intelligence: A modern approach. Pearson.

What is Clinical Decision Support (CDS)?

Answer: Clinical Decision Support (CDS) systems are health information technology systems designed to assist healthcare providers in making clinical decisions. They provide timely information, reminders, and guidelines to enhance patient care quality and safety.

Reference: Wright, A., & Sittig, D. F. (2016). A four-phase model of the evolution of clinical decision support architectures. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 94, 58-64.

What is Cloud Computing?

Answer: Cloud Computing is the delivery of computing services, including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, and analytics, over the internet (the cloud). It enables scalable and flexible access to computing resources and services without the need for direct active management by the user.

Reference: Armbrust, M., et al. (2010). A view of cloud computing. Communications of the ACM, 53(4), 50-58.

What is Data Mining?

Answer: Data mining is the process of discovering patterns, correlations, and anomalies within large datasets to predict outcomes. Using a variety of statistical and machine learning techniques, data mining helps in extracting useful information from large volumes of data.

Reference: Han, J., Pei, J., & Kamber, M. (2011). Data mining: Concepts and techniques. Elsevier.

What is Project Manager?

Answer: A Project Manager is a professional responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects. They oversee all aspects of a project, including scope, time, cost, quality, communication, risk, and stakeholder management, to ensure that the project’s goals and objectives are achieved.

Reference: Kerzner, H. (2017). Project management: A systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. Wiley.

What is Telehealth?

Answer: Telehealth refers to the use of electronic information and telecommunication technologies to provide care and facilitate healthcare services remotely. It includes a broad range of technologies and services to support long-distance clinical care, patient and professional health-related education, public health, and health administration.

Reference: Dorsey, E. R., & Topol, E. J. (2020). Telemedicine 2020 and the next decade. The Lancet, 395(10227), 859.