Publisher's Synopsis
Numerous computer-based systems are increasingly being used to facilitate the management and delivery of health care. Doctors, like many others in occupations where computers are being introduced, often have insufficient knowledge of the technology on which these systems are based, and are unable to estimate the depth or scope of education required to participate in planning their implementation and use.;This book has grown from notes prepared to accompany a series of lectures for doctors working in the National Health Service. Intended for the uninitiated, it provides an introduction to the basic concepts of information technology (IT). It will allow readers to understand the principles of operation of the systems they are asked to use, and will also provide encouragement to delve further and become directly involved in the introduction and application of IT.;Later sections, concentrating on various aspects of personal computer systems, also offer advice on issues to be considered when purchasing a system. Appendix 1 contains a glossary of computing terminology used in the text, with cross-references to the most apporpriate point in the book for further reading. There is also a section detailing companies and trade marks.
