NAHIT, ONCHIT Announce Health Information Technology Definitions
The National Alliance for Health Information Technology (NAHIT) has finalized definitions for six critical health information technology terms, according to an announcement on the NAHIT Web site.
HHS’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONCHIT) sponsored the definitions project.
Project participants determined that dual interpretations of health information exchange (HIE) as both a process and an entity, created the need for a sixth term—health information organization (HIO). The additional term clarifies the difference between the process of information exchange and the oversight and accountability functions necessary to support it.
The finalized definitions include:
Electronic medical record: An electronic record of health-related information on an individual that can be created, gathered, managed, and consulted by authorized clinicians and staff within one health care organization.
Electronic health record: An electronic record of health-related information on an individual that conforms to nationally recognized interoperability standards and that can be created, managed, and consulted by authorized clinicians and staff across more than one health care organization.
Personal health record: An electronic record of health-related information on an individual that conforms to nationally recognized interoperability standards and that can be drawn from multiple sources while being managed, shared, and controlled by the individual.
Health information exchange: The electronic movement of health-related information among organizations according to nationally recognized standards.
Health information organization: An organization that oversees and governs the exchange of health-related information among organizations according to nationally recognized standards.
Regional health information organization: A health information organization that brings together health care stakeholders within a defined geographic area and governshealth information exchange among them for the purpose of improving health and care in that community.
