Learning resources for medical computing.

Abstract

For medical professionals to acquire computer literacy can be an arduous task. Resources for learning medical computing fall into four major categories: learning technical microcomputer use, computerizing an office practice, tracking patient care experience and integrating medical information systems. Both microcomputer use and tracking patient care experience are technical skills similar to learning any medical procedure with which physicians are already familiar. These skills can be acquired by consulting general, commercial resources such as computer stores, popular computer magazines or software manuals. Computerizing an office practice involves diagnosing office information problems by thoroughly analyzing how data flow during outpatient care. Medical information system design and management is a cognitive specialty in which principles of computer science and medical information management are applied to patient care experience.