A health information system (HIS) refers to a system designed to manage healthcare data. This includes systems that collect, store, manage, and transmit a patient’s electronic medical record (EMR), a hospital’s operational management, or a system supporting healthcare policy decisions.
Health information systems also include those systems that handle data related to the activities of providers and health organizations. As an integrated effort, these may be leveraged to improve patient outcomes, inform research, and influence policy-making and decision-making. Because health information systems commonly access, process, or maintain large volumes of sensitive data, security is a primary concern.