Comparison and Contrast of the Informatics and Clinical Informatics

Informatics, commonly referred to as information science, relates to the science of data processing, its storage, and retrieval. Clinical informatics, on the other hand, relates to the application of information technology in the provision of healthcare. As the provision of health care continues to increase in complexity, relying on health systems has equally become very crucial (Walker, 2016) Such systems have become necessary in eliminating any possibilities of medical errors which in some instances have led to the loss of lives or health complications. There are a number of clinical informatics that have been embraced by the health sector with the intent of improving the safety of patients (Walker, 2016). Some of the examples include the use of radio frequency identification to track patients as well as electronic portals that allow patients easy access to medical records pertaining to their health.

President Bush’s Electronic Health Records (EHR) initiative in 2004 was mainly influenced by the need to provide health care that is not only consumer centric but also more efficient and of greater quality. Electronic records are aimed at benefiting the overall health outcomes of patients in various capacities. As such, the president’s initiative year plan of promoting the use of EHRs has certainly shown improved healthcare provision (Washington, 2017). It is imperative to note that nursing managers play a significant role in ensuring safety within their units using clinical informatics. One of the strategies they employ is that of data management. Data management in nursing entails the acquisition, validation, storage, protection, and processing of the requisite data. Through management of data, nursing managers can ensure that their units have all the information needed and that such information is easily accessible and reliable.