The move to manage medicine from a financial perspective, i.e. managed care, has added huge layers of bureaucratic and administrative functions to healthcare. The need to have the ability to track patient medical records, mandated by government legislation such as HIPAA, is bringing new technologies and processes into the healthcare arena. A universal medical record system and absolute patient portability is a definite possibility in the not too distant future. All of these issues beg for clear IT solutions. Healthcare Information Systems, Second Edition approaches these challenges and opportunitites as pieces of a complex puzzle. It not only brings you up-to-date on the technology involved, but also explains how that technology interrelates and affects healthcare organizations. The book gives you complete coverage of all aspects of information technology as it relates to the healthcare industry. In Healthcare Information Systems you will find: