should be required reading for every physician intending to enter a fellowship program in medical informatics, and it is also highly recommended to every doctor and medical student interested in this emerging medical specialty' JAMA of the first edition 'A simply brilliant introduction to this fast developing field which is comprehensive, up-to-date, and at the same time sophisticated... It should be read by all healthcare professionals.' 2004 BMA Book Awards Judging Panel of the current edition This essential text provides a readable yet sophisticated overview of the basic concepts of information technologies as they apply in healthcare. Spanning areas as diverse as the electronic medical record, searching, protocols and communications as well as the Internet, Enrico Coiera has succeeded in making this vast and complex area accessible and understandable to the non-specialist, while providing everything that the student of medical informatics needs to know to accompany their course. Key features: * Comprehensive - complete coverage of this growing area in a single, manageable volume * Relevant - updated and expanded to reflect current issues and the latest developments in the field, including the impact of social media, nation-scale health information systems, systems safety, augmented reality and surgical simulations, machine learning and discovery systems * Accessible - student-friendly design with tables, boxes and chapter summaries is ideal as a course companion while lively text ensures it is also suitable for the casual reader to dip into * Free online resources - including an extensive glossary, references linked to MedLine, MCQs for self testing, discussion points for use in tutorials to stimulate debate Fully revised the third edition of Guide to Health Informaticsremains essential reading for all health science undergraduates, clinical health professionals and health service managers who need to appreciate and understand the role of informatics and its associated technologies for optimal practice and service delivery.