What might a health information system look like?

Nenonen, Mikko D Med Sc
Nylander, Olli MSc
Rintanen, Hannu D Med Sc
Suominen, Tarja PhD RN

Chief Physician, Reumasäätiön sairaala (Rheumatism Foundation Hospital), Heinola, Finland
Development Manager
Project Manager
Senior Researcher
National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES), Helsinki, Finland

ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE

Mikko Nenonen, Chief Physician, Reumasäätiön sairaala (Rheumatism Foundation Hospital), Pikijärventie 1, FIN-18120 Heinola, Finland, Tel: +358 3 849 11, Fax: +358 3 849 1298, Email: [email protected]

Accepted June 2002

Informatics in Primary Care 10(3):p 135-138, 2002.

A health information system is more than just an electronic patient database. It is also more than a reporting system for healthcare data. It is a precondition for a modern healthcare system driven by information rather than by resources or norms. However, we have not yet seen such a system operating anywhere. In this paper we try to draft a general framework for a health information system, link it to evidence-based support mechanisms for both clinical and administrative decision making and present it as an integral part of our healthcare systems.