Nefrología informática: la nueva frontera renal

Health and biomedical informatics (HBI) is the discipline concerned with capturing, managing and using information in health and biomedicine to improve communication processes among the different parties involved in clinical care, as well as those related to healthcare management and quality of health. Nephrology informatics has emerged as a product of the combination of conventional nephrology and HBI and its development has been considerable in both clinical care and academic work. In clinical care, there is growing evidence that informatics technology can improve the quality of nephrological care (effectiveness, accessibility, safety and satisfaction), increase patient adherence and the physical space available, optimize patients' and health practitioners' time, and significantly reduce healthcare costs. Among the main elements of nephrology informatics are the electronic medical chart, support system for medical decision making, personal health records, recording and monitoring devices, and telenephrology. Additionally, in academic nephrology, informatics and internet contribute to education and research. In conclusion, nephrology informatics represents a new sub-specialty whose contributions will influence future clinical care, teaching and research.