Introduction to Clinical Informatics

Book excerpt: Introduction to Clinical Informatics fills a void in the Computer in Health Care series. With this volume, Patrice Degoulet and Marius Fieschi provide a comprehensive view of medical informatics and carry that concept forward into the realm of clinical informatics. The authors draw upon their experi ences as medical school faculty members in France, where informatics has long been integrated into the curriculum and where the French version of this very book has been used, tested, and revised. In intent and content, this volume stands as the companion volume to Introduction to Nursing Informatics, one of the series' best selling titles. For practitioners and students of medicine, pharmacy, and other health profes sions, Introduction to Clinical Informatics offers an essential understanding how computing can support patient care, clarifying practical uses and critical issues. Today medical schools in the United States are making informatics a part of their curriculum, with required medical informatics blocks at the onset of training serving as the base for problem-based learning throughout the course of study. In an increasingly networked and computerized environ ment, health-care providers are having to alter how they practice. Whether in the office, the clinic, or the hospital, health-care professionals have access to a growing array of capabilities and tools as they deliver care. Learning to use these becomes a top priority, and this volume becomes a valuable resource.