Information Technology for the Health Professions 5th Edition

The Problem This Book Solves

Healthcare today is driven by data, but most health professionals lack a working understanding of the information systems that shape patient care, billing, and compliance. Without this knowledge, clinicians and administrators risk errors, inefficiency, and regulatory penalties. This textbook closes that gap—equipping you with the foundational IT literacy required in modern healthcare environments.

About Information Technology for the Health Professions 5th Edition

Information Technology for the Health Professions is a comprehensive, evidence-based textbook that examines how computers and information technology are transforming every aspect of healthcare delivery. Written by Lillian Burke and Barbara Weill, this fifth edition (published in 2019 by Pearson Education, Inc.) provides a clear, accessible roadmap for understanding electronic health records (EHRs), telemedicine, health informatics, data security, and regulatory frameworks such as HIPAA. Each chapter builds from core concepts to real-world applications, making it ideal for students and professionals alike.

Unlike overly technical texts, this edition balances depth with readability—using case studies, examples, and current data to illustrate how IT improves patient outcomes, streamlines operations, and ensures legal compliance. It is designed for readers who may have no prior IT background but need to master the systems they will encounter in clinical or administrative roles.

Is This Book Right for You?

Information Technology for the Health Professions is written for a broad audience, but it is especially valuable for the following groups:

• Healthcare students—those enrolled in nursing, medical assisting, health information management, or allied health programs who need a solid IT foundation.
• Clinical professionals—practitioners transitioning to EHR-based workflows or seeking to understand how IT affects patient safety and care coordination.
• Healthcare administrators—managers and supervisors responsible for selecting, implementing, or auditing health information systems.
• Health informatics newcomers—individuals entering the field who require a structured, textbook-based introduction to core concepts and terminology.
• Continuing education learners—professionals fulfilling CE requirements in health IT, data privacy, or quality improvement.

If you need to understand the language and logic of healthcare IT—not just memorize software menus—this book is for you.

Skills You Will Gain

This textbook delivers practical, actionable knowledge. Here is what you will master:

• The architecture of electronic health records (EHRs)—how they are structured, how data flows, and how they improve clinical decision-making.
• Health information exchange (HIE) standards—including HL7 and FHIR, the protocols that enable interoperability across systems.
• Telemedicine and remote patient monitoring—technologies, reimbursement models, and regulatory considerations.
• Data security and privacy regulations—HIPAA compliance, breach notification rules, and cybersecurity best practices for healthcare settings.
• Clinical decision support systems (CDSS)—how these tools reduce errors and support evidence-based practice.
• Emerging trends in health IT—including artificial intelligence, mobile health apps, and the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT).

Each topic is presented with real-world case studies, review questions, and application exercises to reinforce learning and prepare you for certification or practice.

What Sets It Apart

Many healthcare IT textbooks are either too technical (aimed at engineers) or too superficial (little more than glossaries). This fifth edition strikes the perfect balance. Lillian Burke and Barbara Weill bring decades of combined teaching experience and clinical informatics expertise, ensuring that every chapter is pedagogically sound and immediately applicable.

Compared to general IT textbooks, this one is tailored exclusively to healthcare contexts, so you never waste time on irrelevant topics. It covers the latest regulatory updates and technology shifts through 2019—making it recent enough to address modern challenges like telehealth expansion and data interoperability. Competitor titles often omit coverage of real-world implementation challenges (workflow disruption, user adoption, vendor selection), but this text devotes significant attention to these practical issues.

Who Wrote This Book

Lillian Burke and Barbara Weill are recognized educators and practitioners in health informatics. Burke has taught information technology in healthcare programs for over two decades, and Weill brings clinical expertise as a registered nurse and informatics specialist. Their combined experience ensures that the content is both academically rigorous and clinically grounded.

The book is published by Pearson Education, Inc., one of the world’s leading educational publishers. Pearson is known for its peer-reviewed, high-quality academic textbooks used in thousands of college and university programs. This edition has undergone rigorous editorial review, and its longevity (now in its fifth edition) speaks to its reputation as a trusted resource in the field.

Our Verdict

Absolutely. If you are a healthcare student or professional who needs to understand how IT works in clinical settings, this textbook is the most efficient path to that knowledge. It covers exactly what you need—EHRs, security, telemedicine, clinical decision support—without unnecessary detail. The case studies and application exercises help you connect theory to practice, and the Pearson brand guarantees a polished, accurate, and well-organized learning experience.

At the price point of a typical digital textbook, this is a smart investment in your career. The 2019 edition remains current enough for most certification exams and workplace requirements, and the fundamentals it teaches will serve you for years.

Start Reading Information Technology for the Health Professions 5th Edition Today

Whether you are a nursing student, a health information manager, or a practicing clinician, this textbook gives you the IT fluency to excel in a data-driven healthcare system. Add to cart now to gain instant access to the fifth edition from Pearson Education, Inc., and start building the knowledge that employers demand.