The Evolution of Health Information Systems

The Evolution of Health Information Systems

Victoria Williams

University of Phoenix

The Evolution of Health Information Systems

Efficient health care has been an important factor since the beginning of time. For decades, medical researchers have searched for ways in which to improve the quality and delivery of health care. The concept of using computer technology in the medical industry did not begin to flourish in the United States until the 1950s. The transition from the Industrial Age to the Information Age was because of the increased advancement of computer technology. With such advancements, there has become a need to take the use of modern medicine to a higher standard of practice. Medical treatment is no longer measured by the quality of care but also by the efficiency of care. To meet those standards of care, new technologies, like electronic health records (EHRs) and computerized physician order entries (CPOEs), must be implemented.

History of Heath Care Technology: Timeline

Over the past 60 years, technology has changed how health care is communicated and delivered. The advancement in computer technology is constantly expanding with the speed, size, and capabilities of computer hardware and software. In the 1960s, mainframe computers were used in a limited capacity to process information primarily in hospital administrative and business settings. The 1970s advanced technology with the development of clinical applications through display terminals. These terminals were linked to central mainframes available only at nursing stations. (Collen, 1999).

As the years progressed, so did technology. The development of the Advanced Research Project Agency Network (ARPANET) led to the induction of network communication. By the 1980s, many health care organizations were using the local area networks (LANs) to communicate information from one computer to another within its local network database system. (Collen, 1999). By the late...