Computer

Systems
 Computer Hardware

-is defined as all of the physical

components of the computer itself

-Basic Hardware:
- Electronic circuits
- Microchips
- Processors
- Motherboard
- All input and output devices
 Computer hardware advances during
the
late 1900s which have made possible
many
changes in the healthcare settings

- special administrative functions

- practice of radiology and imaging

- telemedicine
Computer Hardware Fundamentals

- Motherboard
- CPU
- Arithmetic and logic unit
- Control unit
- Memory
- RAM
- ROM
Input devices
- Allow the computer to
receive information from
the outside world

- Touch screen
- Light pen
- Voice synthesizer
- Scanner
- Electrodes
 Input devices
- Allow the computer to receive information
from the outside world

- Touch screen

- Light pen

- Microphone

- Scanner

- Electrodes
Output devices

- Allow the computer to report

its result to the outside
world
- Monitor / display
screen
- printer
Storage media

- Hard drive
- Diskettes
- CD-ROM
- USB Disk
Computer Power

Computers
- do not process information as
words or number.

- they handle information in BYTES

BIT

BYTE

NIBBLE
Computer Speed

- Clock Speed

- 1 megahertz

- IBM PC, 1981

- Pentium III, late 1990

 Basic Computer Network Hardware
Network – is a set of cooperative
interconnected computers for the
purpose of information interchange

- LAN
- MAN
- CAN
- HAN
- WAN
Three (3) most important
components of network hardware:

1. NIC

2. Cabling

3. Server
 Topology
Topology and Architecture
- defines how the network computers in a LAN are interconnected within a
physical area and describes their physical interconnection.
Mesh Topology
Devices are connected with many redundant
interconnections between network nodes. In a true
mesh topology every node has a connection to
every other node in the network.
Star Topology
All devices are connected to a central hub.
Nodes communicate across the network by
passing data through the hub.
Bus Topology
All devices are connected to a central
cable, called the bus or backbone.
Ring Topology
All devices are connected to one another in the
shape of a closed loop, so that each device is
connected directly to two other devices, one on
either side of it.
Architecture
- refers to overall structure,
peripheral, interconnections within the
computer, and its system software
Five fundamental components:
• Input/output
• Storage
• Communication
• Control
• Processing
Two types of network Architecture:
1. Peer-to-peer (P2P)
• a type of network in which each
workstation has equivalent capabilities
and responsibilities
Client-Server
• A network architecture in which each
computer or process on the network is
either a client or a server
 Computer Software

It is the general term applied to the

instructions that direct the computers
hardware to perform work.

2 types of software
• System software

• Application software
 BIOS

Handles the first level of system control

Consists of sets of instructions
permanently burned onto a computer
chip

Operating system
• Are actual software, loaded from the
hard drive into RAM as soon as the
computer is turned on.
 OS User Interfaces

DOS
• Disk operating system

GUI
• Graphical user interface
 Application Software

Includes the various

programs people used to do
work, process data, play
games, communicate with
others, or watch multimedia
programs on computers
 Programming Language
Is a means of communicating with the
computer

Machine language
• The only language that can be understood
by computers
• Computer’s only true language

Assembler language
• Have a one-to-one correspondence with a
machine language
 Standard Office package

The most common package sold

with computers.
Includes:
•Word-processing program
•Spreadsheet
•Presentation graphics program
•Some form of database mgmt
system
 Software Package Ownership Rights

• Protecting ownership rights in

software has presented a challenge
to the computer industry

• Individually purchased software is

licensed to one and only one
computer
 Common Software Useful to Nurses

• ADT system

• MAR software

• Charting software

• CPOE system
• Chatrooms

• Electronic Bulletin Boards

• Listservs
 Computer Programming
Refers to the process of writing a computer
program

Five major steps:

• Problem definition
• Program design
• Writing the code and program
documentation
• Alpha testing
• Beta testing and program documentation
 Computer system

• May refer to a single machine (and

its peripherals) that is unconnected
to any other computers

• The use of systems in computer

technology is based on System
Theory.
 System Theory

• Provides the conceptual

basis for understanding
complex entities that
consists of multiple
interrelated parts working
together to achieved a
desired result.
 System Elements

• Interdependent parts
• Input
• System processes
• Output
• System control
• feedback
 Classification of Systems

• Closed system

• Open system
 Information Systems

• Is the collection and

integration of various pieces
of hardware and software
and the human resources
that meet the date collection,
storage, processing, and
report generation needs
 Information Systems Types
• MIS
• BRS
• Stand-Alone system
• Transaction system
• Physiologic monitoring system
• Decision support systems
• Expert systems
 Other system
AI System
• Is a system that attempts to
model human reasoning
processes.

Natural Language System

• Is a system that can understand
and process commands given in
the user’s own natural, spoken
 Hospital Information Systems
To manage information needed to facilitate
daily hospital operations by all healthcare
personnel

Clinical Support Modules:

• Charting System
• Point-Of-Service System
• Laboratory, Pharmacy, and Radiology
Modules