Medical Imaging Informatics & Information Systems

Information Technology (IT)

The discipline focused on creating, transmitting, storing, and enabling retrieval of information, plus managing and controlling its flow through computer-based systems.

Information Science

A field of professional practice and research that studies effective communication of recorded knowledge among people, emphasizing both human information behavior and information retrieval techniques.

Information Theory (in IS context)

The branch of information science interested in the structure and formal properties of information, viewing it as a social and psychological phenomenon.

3 Big Questions of Information Science

Physical (features/laws of recorded information), Social (how people seek and use information), and Design (making access rapid and effective).

Information Explosion

The exponential growth of scientific and technical publications and data, creating challenges in finding the right information when needed.

Informatics

An interdisciplinary field applying information technology and science to other domains, examining the nature of information, technology, and human behavior.

Management Information System (MIS)

An organized integration of hardware, software, data, processes, and people designed to deliver timely, relevant, and accurate information for decision making.

Data (IS component)

Raw facts or inputs collected from internal or external sources, either aggregated or disaggregated, supplied to an information system.

Database

The ‘heart’ of an information system—an organized collection of related data files managed with a DBMS such as Oracle.

Database Management System (DBMS)

Software used to create, maintain, and manipulate databases, reducing manual effort in handling data.

Process (IS component)

The set of procedures and models that transform data into useful information, including transaction processing and decision-analysis models.

Information (IS output)

Facts that have been processed and analyzed; quality depends on timeliness, integration, consistency, accuracy, and relevance.

User Interface (UI)

The part of an information system that allows users to interact with it; should be flexible, easy to use, and often graphical (GUI).

Business Intelligence (BI)

The ultimate goal of an information system—actionable insights derived from processed data to improve decision making.

Four M’s of Resources

Manpower, Machinery, Materials, Money—information is considered the second most important organizational resource after these.

Health Information Technology (HIT)

Technologies that manage and share patient data electronically (e.g., E-Prescribing, EHRs), strongly promoted by U.S. incentives.

Electronic Health Record (EHR)

A digital version of a patient’s complete medical history, maintained over time by healthcare providers.

E-Prescribing

Electronic generation, transmission, and filling of medical prescriptions, a key component of HIT.

Health Care Information System (HCIS)

An information system used in healthcare, encompassing administrative and clinical applications to support patient care and operations.

Administrative Information System

HCIS subset containing financial or managerial data to support operations such as billing, payroll, and scheduling.

Clinical Information System

HCIS subset containing patient-related clinical data used for diagnosing, treating, and monitoring care.

Ancillary Information System

Specialized clinical systems in departments like Laboratory, Radiology, and Pharmacy that support specific healthcare functions.

Patient Administration System

Administrative application that handles patient demographics, ADT (Admission-Discharge-Transfer) data, and billing information.

Admission, Discharge, Transfer (ADT)

Core hospital registration functions tracking when patients enter, leave, or move within a facility.

Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE)

Clinical application within an EHR that enables providers to enter medication, lab, or imaging orders electronically.

Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS)

Digital imaging technology for storing, displaying, and transferring medical images within radiology and across networks.

Teleradiology

Transmission of radiological images to remote locations for interpretation and consultation.

Health Informatics

The application of technology tools and information systems in a healthcare context to improve the acquisition, storage, and use of health data.

Information Retrieval

Techniques, systems, and processes designed to organize and obtain recorded information efficiently to satisfy user needs.

Information Perspective

The ability in information science to view the world through both theoretical structures and practical processes of information handling.