Digitization in Healthcare Context - hmislk/hmis GitHub Wiki

Introduction

Digitization, digitalization, and digital transformation are terms that have become increasingly popular since the late 2000s. They are often used interchangeably, sometimes incorrectly, and frequently without fully understanding what they actually mean.

You may have heard people say “we are digitizing our hospital” or “we are going through digital transformation” — but are they really talking about the same thing?

While these concepts are closely related, they represent different stages of digital maturity. Each one builds on the previous, and none of them can exist in isolation. Together, they form a clear journey from paper-based operations to fully digital healthcare systems.

Before exploring advanced ideas like AI hospitals, telemedicine, and smart healthcare, it is essential to understand the most basic and foundational concept of all:

Digitization.

Everything starts here.

Digitize, Digitalise, and Digital Transformation – How They Are Related

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These three terms describe three stages of digital maturity/evolution :

Term What It Means Example in Hospital
Digitize Convert analog data to digital format Scan patient files
Digitalise Improve processes using digital tools Online appointments
Digital Transformation Redesign healthcare delivery using digital Telemedicine, AI diagnosis

They always happen in this order:

Digitize ➡ Digitalise ➡ Digital Transformation

You cannot digitalise or transform something that is still on paper.
Without digitization, the other two simply cannot exist.

So digitization is the foundation of everything.

What Does Digitization Mean in Healthcare?

In healthcare, digitization means:

Converting medical information from physical or manual form into electronic format, without changing the process itself.

Only the format changes, not the workflow.

Paper becomes data.
Folders become databases.
Handwriting becomes typed records.

Nothing more. Nothing less.

Digitization and HIMS (Hospital Information Management System)

A Hospital Information Management System (HIMS) is the primary platform used to digitize a hospital.

Before HIMS:

  • Paper-based patient records
  • Physical prescription books
  • Manual registers
  • Manual billing
  • Printed lab reports

After HIMS:

  • Electronic Health Records (EHR)
  • Digital prescriptions
  • Automated billing systems
  • Online lab reports
  • Searchable databases

In simple terms:

| HIMS is the digital container of a hospital’s information.

What Exactly Gets Digitized in a Hospital?

  1. Patient Records
    Paper file ➡ Electronic patient profile

  2. Prescriptions
    Doctor handwriting ➡ Digital prescription form

  3. Lab Results
    Printed report ➡ Uploaded digital record

  4. Billing
    Manual invoice ➡ Billing system entry

  5. Appointments
    Appointment book ➡ Online scheduler

Same work. Same people. Just no paper.

Digitizing Drug Information

Before Digitization

Drug data exists as:

  • Printed drug catalogs
  • Physical formularies
  • Manual Excel sheets

Example:
“Amoxicillin 500mg capsule”

Exists only as text in books or documents.

After Digitization

The same drug becomes:

Field Digital Value
Drug ID D123456
Name Amoxicillin
Strength 500mg
Form Capsule
Manufacturer Pfizer
Category Antibiotic
Status Prescription only

Now the drug is:

  • A database record
  • Searchable
  • Standardized
  • Usable by software

This is exactly what systems like NHS dm+d, FDA NDC, SNOMED, RxNorm do.

A Simple Digitization Workflow

Before Digitization

Doctor writes notes ➡ File stored in cabinet ➡ Nurse searches physically ➡ Photocopy sent to lab ➡ Admin files again

After Digitization

Doctor types notes in HIMS ➡ Saved in database ➡ Nurse searches by patient ID ➡ Shared instantly with lab ➡ Stored centrally

Same process.
Just faster, searchable, and safer.

What Digitization Does NOT Do

Digitization does not:

  • Automate decisions
  • Improve clinical logic
  • Replace doctors
  • Use AI
  • Redesign workflows

It only:
| Converts information into digital form.

Everything else comes later.

Why Digitization is Critical in Healthcare

Digitization enables:

Benefit Impact
Safety Fewer medical errors
Speed Faster access to data
Compliance Easier audits
Continuity Long-term records
Integration Systems can communicate

Without digitization:

| Digital healthcare cannot exist.

Where Digitization Ends

Digitization ends when:

| All key healthcare information exists in digital format.

From that point:

  • Digitalization improves processes
  • Digital transformation reinvents care

But digitization is the foundation layer.