Information technology education for health professionals: opportunities and challenges

Computer applications are on the increase in virtually every aspect of health care, from the routine management of information to clinical diagnoses or clinical decision making. Indeed, the use of computers extends from patient monitoring and point-of-care testing to basic and applied research. Given the ubiquity of computers in health care, it is crucial that health professions education programs provide students with the computer proficiencies they need to apply to their roles as health professionals. This article highlights the importance of such training. It also provides results of two separate needs assessment surveys, and presents curriculum design strategies and competencies to meet health care's present and emerging information technology needs.