Medical informatics is the study and application of methods to improve the management of patient data, clinical knowledge and other information relevant to health care. Doctors are increasingly urged to improve the quality and consistency of their practice, avoid errors, communicate with a widening range of clinical team members, and keep up to date with a growing mountain of evidence. Increasingly powerful and affordable information technology is appearing in health settings but doctors rightly express concerns over the confidentiality of patient data. This ABC will provide the working doctor with an overview of current principles and practice, as well as a summary of common clinical information problems and solutions. This is a practical book, with case studies from both primary and secondary care, assisting the much needed link between prescribing and treatment protocols in both.