The following technologies and terms are often included in discussions of information technology in health care:

Electronic health record (EHR):
EHRs were originally envisioned as an electronic file cabinet for patient data from various sources (eventually integrating text, voice, images, handwritten notes, etc.). Now they are generally viewed as part of an automated order-entry and patient-tracking system providing real-time access to patient data, as well as a continuous longitudinal record of their care.

Computerized provider order entry (CPOE):
CPOE in its basic form is typically a medication ordering and fulfillment system. More advanced CPOE will also include lab orders, radiology studies, procedures, discharges, transfers, and referrals.

Clinical decision support system (CDSS):
CDSS provides physicians and nurses with real-time diagnostic and treatment recommendations. The term covers a variety of technologies ranging from simple alerts and prescription drug interaction warnings to full clinical pathways and protocols. CDSS may be used as part of CPOE and EHR.

Picture archiving and communications system (PACS):
This technology captures and integrates diagnostic and radiological images from various devices (e.g., x-ray, MRI, computed tomography scan), stores them, and disseminates them to a medical record, a clinical data repository, or other points of care.

Bar coding:
Bar coding in a health care environment is similar to bar-code scanning in other environments: An optical scanner is used to electronically capture information encoded on a product. Initially, it will be used for medication (for example, matching drugs to patients by using bar codes on both the medications and patients’ arm bracelets), but other applications may be pursued, such as medical devices, lab, and radiology.

Radio frequency identification (RFID):
This technology tracks patients throughout the hospital, and links lab and medication tracking through a wireless communications system. It is neither mature nor widely available, but may be an alternative to bar coding.

Automated dispensing machines (ADMs):
This technology distributes medication doses.

Electronic materials management (EMM):
Health care organizations use EMM to track and manage inventory of medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, and other materials. This technology is similar to enterprise resource planning systems used outside of health care.

Interoperability:
This concept refers to electronic communication among organizations so that the data in one IT system can be incorporated into another. Discussions of interoperability focus on development of standards for content and messaging, among other areas, and development of adequate security and privacy safeguards.

quality, including the types of quality problems information technology can be used to solve and implementation strategies to ensure that quality objectives are met. Quality health care relies on physicians, nurses, patients and their families, and others having the right information at the right time and using it to make the right decisions.