- 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act)
- legislation passed in 2016 to promote and fund the acceleration of research to prevent and cure serious illness, accelerate drug and medical device development, address abuse crisis, and improve the delivery of mental health services
- American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
- legislation passed in 2009 to stimulate the economy following a recession
- artificial intelligence (AI)
- ability of machines, by applying computing power to large amounts of data, to solve complex problems and perform tasks that typically require human intelligence
- augmented reality (AR)
- superimposition of a computer-generated environment onto the real world to create an interactive experience for the user
- avatar
- digital representation of an individual created within a virtual environment
- computerized provider order entry (CPOE)
- medical order that a provider enters directly into the patient’s electronic medical record
- consumer health informatics
- field of study and application that focuses on the use of information and communication technologies to empower individuals in managing their health and health care
- continuous glucose monitor (CGM)
- device to automatically estimate blood glucose levels
- Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act)
- legislation passed in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
- digital divide
- gap between those who have access to the internet and related technologies and those who do not
- digital transformation
- comprehensive integration and adoption of digital technologies, processes, and strategies across an organization to fundamentally change how they operate and deliver value
- electronic medical record (EMR)
- digital form of a paper chart for use by one medical practice
- Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA)
- legislation passed in 2012 to develop strategies and recommendations for a health IT regulatory framework
- health informatics
- field that integrates information science with health care
- Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act
- legislation passed in 2009 (as part of ARRA) to promote electronic health records and a national health information infrastructure to support interoperability
- incidence
- number of new cases of a specific disease or health-related event that occur within a defined population during a specified time period; measures the risk of developing a condition
- informatics
- science of information
- informatics nurse specialist (INS)
- nurse who specializes in nursing informatics
- information and communications technology (ICT)
- all communication technologies that enable users to access, retrieve, store, transmit, and manipulate digital information
- interoperability
- ability of different systems to “talk” to each other
- machine learning
- ability of AI to analyze data by using algorithms and models that recognize patterns in data
- meaningful use
- use of electronic health records to their full extent, facilitating the electronic exchange of information so that quality of care may be improved
- Meaningful Use Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program
- initiative established by the U.S. government under the HITECH Act to encourage health-care providers to adopt and demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR technology
- Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA)
- legislation passed in 2015 to reward Medicare clinicians with payment increases for delivering high-quality care and reduce payments for clinicians who do not meet performance standards
- patient portal
- secure, online platform that provides patients with twenty-four-hour access to their personal health information
- precision health
- innovative approach to health care that takes into account individual differences in genetics, environment, and lifestyle
- predictive medicine
- use of laboratory and genetic tests to determine an individual’s probability of developing a disease
- prevalence
- total number of cases (both new and existing) of a particular disease or condition in a population at a specific point in time or over a specific period
- public health informatics
- field that applies science and technology to meet the needs of public health
- smart medical bed
- highly innovative hospital bed with additional technical features that support best practices for patient care
- smart pump
- intravenous (IV) infusion device that combines computer technology and drug libraries to limit the potential for medication errors
- super user
- clinical end user who receives specific training for providing support and education to others
- surveillance
- collecting, analyzing, and disseminating data related to diseases, health outcomes, and injuries
- telemedicine
- remote diagnosis and treatment of patients by means of telecommunications technology
- usability
- ease with which people can use a product to achieve their goals
- virtual reality (VR)
- use of hardware (a headset) and software (the VR platform) to create an immersive, simulated environment
- wearable device
- health monitoring device worn on the body to monitor health data