Health Information Standard

Synonym

Health informatics standard

Definition

The term standard is defined as “a level of quality or attainment” (Stevenson 2011). In the area of health information and informatics, standards define the way a task is to be done or the level of conformance required for safe or appropriate practice.

Overview

All standards fall into two broad categories, industry standards and formal best practice standards. A best practice standard explains and defines a method, structure, or technique that has been accepted by an expert community as being appropriate for use as it produces results that are superior to those achieved by other means or because it has become the standard way of doing things. Such standards are often incorporated into the legal or ethical requirements of professional bodies or government initiatives. Best practice standards are created by professional bodies, state, or national governments or by more extensive consultation, such as those created by (a) International...