Health care informatics is a broad term inclusive of many roles and
aspects of using data to improve health care, while nursing
informatics tends to focus on patient care ("The Difference Between
Health Care and Nursing Informatics," 2018). Roles and uses of
technology differ depending on the healthcare institution and
specialty. Healthcare professionals such as coders, health information
managers, health insurance managers, medical transcriptionists, and
other healthcare professionals vary in their roles and functions. Nurse
informatics helps implement new processes, validate data, and
support patient care. All of these professionals have various
educational backgrounds and training. Nursing staff within a hospital
setting have access to different information than those in private
practice. The level of care may differ within other facilities. The ED
staff provides episodic care for acutely ill patients for whom historical
information may be limited or completely missing (Aronsky, Jones,
Lanaghan, & Slovis, 2008). In a hospital setting for example the
number of patients may be higher with a decreased number of
recurring visits. Private practices may have a long-standing list of
recurring patients. Despite obligations to "protect the patient's
secrets", there are daily challenges to protecting privacy and
confidentiality in the unique setting of the emergency department
(Geiderman, Moskop, & Derse, 2006). In teaching hospitals, more
providers and nursing individuals may have full access to all patient
information. Teaching hospitals have students rotating through
clinical every single year which causes a constant change in who may
have access. One example of uses of technology that differs within
the hospital setting is dispensing of medication. In private practice,
the provider may give samples of medication but typically gives a
prescription to be filled. On the other hand within a hospital setting, a
provider will prescribe a medication to be dispensed by nursing staff
through a secure system. Specific data may be collected depending
on the specialty for example infectious diseases or cancer data.
Depending on specialty-specific data may be accessible to nursing
staff within those specialties.
During my six years as a medical assistant, I was able to have a
firsthand look at the different roles within a private practice. Nurse
Practitioners along with Physician assistants are able to consult,
diagnose and treat a patient under the direct supervision of a
physician. Registered nurses are certified to conduct specialized
administration of medication and perform specialized procedures.
RNs may have access to patients' charts other clinical personnel may
have limited access. Each state also differs. In Oklahoma, medical
assistants have access to more in-depth clinical documentation.
Medical Assistants are also allowed to assist in specialized procedures
unlike in New York state. The role and scope of practice of each
individual will always help in the management of information. Some
roles may overlap therefore specific outline of each role will help
other team members understand who will manage patient care and
healthcare information for that patient.
References
Aronsky, D., Jones, I., Lanaghan, K., & Slovis, C. M. (2008). Supporting
Patient Care in the Emergency Department with a Computerized
Whiteboard System. Journal of the American Medical Informatics
Association, 15(2), 184–194. https://doi.org/10.1197/jamia.m2489
Geiderman, J. M., Moskop, J. C., & Derse, A. R. (2006). Privacy and
Confidentiality in Emergency Medicine: Obligations and Challenges.
Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America, 24(3), 633–656.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emc.2006.05.005
The Difference Between Health Care and Nursing Informatics.
(2018). Retrieved January 14, 2022, from Capella University Blog
website: https://www.capella.edu/blogs/cublog/healthcare-
informatics-vs-nursing-informatics
A Nurse Informaticist: 3 Essential Responsibilities. (2021, February 2).
Health Catalyst. https://www.healthcatalyst.com/insights/nurse-
informaticist-3-essential-responsibilities
