Health Informatics:
Also known as eHealth, can be defined as ‘Where Health Care Meets IT’ (HITS, 2010). Integrated discipline that draws from information science, health sciences and management science. COACH defines health informatics as the “intersection of clinical, IM/IT and management practices to achieve better health. Involving the application of IT to facilitate the creation and use of health related data, information and knowledge. Health Informatics enables and supports all aspects of safe, efficient and effective health care services for all Canadians” (COACH, 2009). Health informatics is an emerging field of study.
Nursing Informatics:
"Integrates nursing science, computer science, and information science to manage and communicate data, information, and knowledge in nursing practice. Nursing informatics facilitates the integration of data, information, and knowledge to support clients, nurses, and other providers in their decision-making in all roles and settings" (Staggers & Bagley-Thompson, 2002, p. 260).
Nursing Informatics Specialist:
Employs informatics theories, concepts, methods, and tools to analyze information and information system requirements; design, select, implement, and evaluate information systems, data structures, and decision-support mechanisms that support patients, nurses, and their human–computer interactions within health care contexts; and to facilitate the creation of new nursing knowledge (Staggers & Bagley-Thompson, 2002).