Core Concepts
Electronic Health Records (EHR)
Digital versions of patient charts containing medical history, diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, and test results.
HL7/FHIR
Healthcare data exchange standards. HL7 (Health Level Seven) and FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) enable systems to share data.
Clinical Decision Support (CDS)
Computer-based tools that provide clinicians with patient-specific assessments to aid in clinical decision-making.
Telemedicine
The use of telecommunications technology to provide healthcare remotely.
HIPAA
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act — US law protecting patient health information privacy.
Data Interoperability
The ability of different systems to exchange and use data.
Worked Examples & Applications
FHIR Resource Example: A FHIR Patient resource: {"resourceType": "Patient", "id": "123", "name": [{"family": "Smith", "given": ["John"]}], "gender": "male", "birthDate": "1980-01-01"}
CDS Alert Example: Drug-drug interaction alert: "Patient is currently on Warfarin. Prescribing Ibuprofen may increase bleeding risk. Consider alternative: Acetaminophen."
Practice Questions
Q: What is the difference between EHR and EMR? A: EMR is a digital version of a patient's chart from one practice. EHR is designed to be shared across different healthcare providers.
Q: What does FHIR stand for? A: Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources — a standard for exchanging healthcare information electronically.