Public Policy and Health Informatics.

OBJECTIVES: To provide an overview of the history of electronic health policy and identify significant laws that influence health informatics.

DATA SOURCES: US Department of Health and Human Services.

CONCLUSION: The development of health information technology has influenced the process for delivering health care. Public policy and regulations are an important part of health informatics and establish the structure of electronic health systems. Regulatory bodies of the government initiate policies to ease the execution of electronic health record implementation. These same bureaucratic entities regulate the system to protect the rights of the patients and providers.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Nurses should have an overall understanding of the system behind health informatics and be able to advocate for change. Nurses can utilize this information to optimize the use of health informatics and campaign for safe, effective, and efficient health information technology.