Health care information systems architecture of the near future.

Major changes in the health care delivery environment in recent years have generated new demands for information and new stresses on Health Care Information Systems. These systems, intended to support the decision making, operations, and competitiveness of health care organizations, must evolve rapidly or become obsolete. This paper discusses key aspects of systems architecture that will emerge in the near future to enable enhanced function and use of new technologies, while preserving the value of investments health care organizations have already made in information technology.