An Introduction to Clinical Health Information Technology for Long-Term/Post-Acute Healthcare Professionals

A multiplicity of factors converging together suggest the long term/post-acute care (LTPAC) provider community (e.g. nursing homes, behavioral health facilities, home health agencies, etc.) will accelerate in importance within the healthcare ecosystem during the next few years. The challenge for many LTPAC providers in this emerging environment will be to advance their clinical health information technologies (health IT) capabilities in order to "play" with other providers in the healthcare "sandbox." This book is designed to assist LTPAC leaders in identifying and exploring the array of critical issues one needs to consider in order to operate within an advanced clinical health IT ecosystem.

This book surveys key issues surrounding the use of clinical health IT in LTPAC settings, to include providing readers with a suggested strategic plan and roadmap for selecting and installing digital health technologies in LTPAC organizations. Though the focus of the book primarily centers on the U.S. LTPAC provider’s experience, the authors also spend time addressing global and future LTPAC considerations.

Gregory L. Alexander PhD, RN, FAAN; John F Derr RPh, FASCP; Lorren Pettir MS MBA