Contributions of Nursing Informatics Pioneers

One of the major drivers in recent health care reform legislation is the American

Reinvestment and Recovery Act’s (ARRA) HiTech Incentive. This act, passed in 2009,

earmarked $22 billion for the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), with a goal

of 100% adoption in all practice settings by the year 2014. The HiTech Act provides an

example of the pivotal role that health information technology plays in the delivery of

quality health care services. Yet, health information technology is a relatively new field.

This Application Assignment provides an opportunity for you to examine the

contributions of pioneers in this arena and consider how their contributions have

influenced health informatics and nursing practice today.