Computer Skills
Introduction to Health
Information Systems (HIS)
Health Information Systems (HIS) basics
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Content
o Introduction
o Data, Information, and knowledge
o The characteristics of valuable information
o Health Information Systems (HIS) basics
o EMR vs HER vs PHR and e-Prescribing: (definitions,
benefits and differences)
• Electronic medical records (EMR)
• Electronic Health Records (EHR)
• Personal Health Records (PHR)
• Electronic prescribing (e-Prescribing)
o Health Information Exchange (HIE)
o HIS security
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Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson you should be able to:
1. Recognize the different components of Health Information
Systems (HIS) and computer-based information systems.
2. Explain the different functions of HIS: Input, processing, output,
and feedback.
3. List the users of HIS.
4. Summarize the modules of HIS.
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Definitions (IS)
o Information System (IS) is a set of interrelated components (people, hardware, software,
communications networks, data resources, and policies and procedures) that:
• Collects (input),
• Manipulates (process),
• Stores,
• Disseminates (output) data and information and
• Provides feedback mechanism to meet the objectives of an organization.
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Definitions (HIS)
o Health information system (HIS), or Hospital Management Information System (HMIS),
also known as Hospital Information System (HIS) or sometimes called as Hospital
Computer System (HCS), is an information system that:
• Captures,
• Stores,
• Manages or transmits information related to the health of individuals or the activities of
organizations that work within the health sector.
HIS, HMIS, and HCS are different names but all refer to an Information System that
manages the health information of patients and assists the doctors, nurses and other care
providers to treat patients.
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HIS Components
o The main functions of a HIS is to accept data resources as input and store them in
databases and process them into information products as output.
• Q1: How does an information system accomplish this task?
• Q2: What system components and functions are involved?
People Software Hardware Network Data
System functions
Feedback
Input Processing Output
Figure 1: Health Information System components
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HIS Components
The model in the last figure shows that a HIS depends on five main components to do its job:
1. People:
o People are the backbone for any IS.
o People are include IS specialists and End users:
• IS specialists are specialists who develop and operate ISs. They include system analyst,
software developers, system operators, and other managerial and technical support.
• End users or clients are people who use an IS. They could be customers, salespersons, clerks,
physicians, nurses.
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HIS Components
2. Software:
o The software includes:
• The sets of operating instructions called programs, which direct and control computer
hardware, and
• The sets of information processing instructions called procedures that people need.
3. Hardware:
o The physical components (devices or materials) that used to perform different functions or
activities of the system.
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HIS Components
4. Network:
o Infrastructure for electronic transmission of signals for communications among different
hardware.
o Networks like Internet, Intranets, and Extranets are essential to the successful e-business
operations of all types of organizations and other computer based information systems.
5. Data:
o Valuable resource to any organization as well as a raw material for ISs.
o Data are stored, processed, and analyzed using software applications that can discover the
latent relationships between data.
o In most ISs, data are organized in databases for better management of the data.
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HIS Functions
1. Input:
o In the input stage, HIS collects the required data to be processed and converted to a form
that helps in decision-making and treating the patient.
o Examples:
• The names and ages of patients.
• The number of staff in the health care centre.
• The number of beds in a hospital.
• Information such as previous reports on the health of patients.
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HIS Functions
2. Processing:
o It is the basic stage of any HIS.
• At this stage, inputs are transformed through a set of manual/electronic processes to
required outputs;
• These processes are determined according to the objectives of the organization.
3. Output:
o In HIS, output involves producing useful information, usually in the form of documents
and reports.
• In some cases, output from one system can become input for another.
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HIS Functions
4. Feedback:
o During this process, the system outputs are compared to the desired objectives.
o After evaluating the gaps, corrective processes are performed on the system such as
modifying some processes or changing the form of inputs and outputs.
In some cases, output from one system can become input for another.
Through the feedback process, the system is strengthened and routed to the right track.
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HIS Modules
o Some of the most common modules found in an HIS are:
• Registration module
• Radiology module
• Laboratory module
• Pharmacy module
• Nursing (Patient Care) module
• Diet and nutrition module
• Medical records module
• Physician support module
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Typology of HIS
There are two primary classes of HIS:
1. An administrative information system:
o Contains primarily administrative or financial data and is generally used to support the
management functions and general operations of the health care organization.
• Example: An administrative information system might contain information used to manage
personnel, finances, materials, supplies, or equipment. It might be a system for human resource
management, materials management, patient accounting or billing, or staff scheduling.
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Typology of HIS
2. Clinical information system:
o Contains clinical or health-related information used by providers in diagnosing and treating a
patient and monitoring that patient’s care.
• Example: Clinical information systems may be departmental systems—such as radiology,
pharmacy, or laboratory systems—or clinical decision-support, medication administration,
computerized provider order entry, or electronic medical record systems, to name a few.
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