Health Information Systems: Past, Present, Future - Revisited

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Information Systems Management
• Healthcare Technology

Background:

• Health information systems (HIS) are fundamental to effective healthcare delivery.
• The evolution of HIS is crucial for modern healthcare infrastructure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a personal perspective on the historical development of HIS.
• To identify future opportunities and priorities for HIS advancement.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of HIS evolution over distinct historical periods (past, present, future).
• Identification of eight key development paths for HIS.
• Assessment of past and present states, alongside future challenges and opportunities for each path.

Main Results:

• HIS development is categorized into past (1961-2016), present (2017-2022), and future periods.
• Eight development paths were analyzed: life situations, entities, facilities, settings, data, functions, architectures, and management.
• Current HIS are superior to past systems, with significant potential for future enhancements.

Conclusions:

• HIS development is subjective but informed by decades of experience.
• The rapid progress in HIS is expected to continue.
• Despite current advancements, there is ample room for future HIS improvement.