) ▁is ▁information ▁management ▁applied ▁to ▁health ▁and ▁health ▁care . ▁It ▁is ▁the ▁practice ▁of ▁acqu iring , ▁analyz ing ▁and ▁protect ing ▁digital ▁and ▁traditional ▁medical ▁information ▁vital ▁to ▁providing ▁quality ▁patient ▁care . ▁With ▁the ▁w ides p read ▁computer ization ▁of ▁health ▁records , ▁traditional ▁( paper - based ) ▁records ▁are ▁being ▁replaced ▁with ▁electronic ▁health ▁records ▁( E HR s ). ▁The ▁tools ▁of ▁health ▁inform at ics ▁and ▁health ▁information ▁technology ▁are ▁contin ually ▁impro ving ▁to ▁bring ▁greater ▁efficiency ▁to ▁information ▁management ▁in ▁the ▁health ▁care ▁sector . ▁Both ▁hospital ▁information ▁systems ▁and ▁Human ▁Resource ▁for ▁Health ▁Information ▁System ▁( HR H IS ) ▁are ▁common ▁implementations ▁of ▁H IM . ▁ ▁Health ▁information ▁management ▁profession als ▁plan ▁information ▁systems , ▁develop ▁health ▁policy , ▁and ▁identify ▁current ▁and ▁future ▁information ▁needs . ▁In ▁addition , ▁they ▁may ▁apply ▁the ▁science ▁of ▁inform at ics ▁to ▁the ▁collection , ▁storage , ▁analysis , ▁use , ▁and ▁transmission ▁of ▁information ▁to ▁meet ▁legal , ▁professional , ▁eth ical ▁and ▁administrative ▁records - keep ing ▁requirements ▁of ▁health ▁care ▁delivery . ▁ ▁They ▁work ▁with ▁clin ical , ▁ep ide mi ological , ▁dem ographic , ▁financial , ▁reference , ▁and ▁c oded ▁health care ▁data . ▁Health ▁information ▁administr ators ▁have ▁been ▁described ▁to ▁" play ▁a ▁critical ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁delivery ▁of ▁health care ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁through ▁their ▁focus ▁on ▁the ▁collection , ▁maintenance ▁and ▁use ▁of ▁quality ▁data ▁to ▁support ▁the ▁information