Health Information Systems: Architectures and Strategies is a definitive introductory resource that tackles the pivotal role of information systems in health care. Illustrating the importance of information systems in delivering high-quality health care at the lowest possible cost, this book provides the essential resources needed by the health informatics / medical informatics specialist to understand and successfully manage the complex nature of hospital and transinstitutional health information systems. The book refines concepts described in the Editors' previous book Strategic Information Management in Hospitals and considers both the progress in the field and also the lessons learned. Perception of information systems in health care has changed. There is no longer a focus only on single institutions like hospitals, but health care institutions within health care networks come to the fore. In producing this new book, the Editors have broadened the focus from hospital information systems and their strategic management to strategic management of transinstitutional health information systems. Alfred Winter, PhD, is Professor of Medical Informatics at the Institute of Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany Reinhold Haux, PhD, is Professor of Medical Informatics and Director at the Peter L. Reichertz Institute for Medical Informatics at University of Braunschweig - Institute of Technology and Hannover Medical School, Germany Elske Ammenwerth, PhD, is Professor of Medical Informatics at UMIT - University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology , Hall i.T., Austria Birgit Brigl, PhD, is at the IT full service provider of the German Federal Ministry of Finance, Frankfurt/Main, Germany Nils Hellrung, PhD, is research associate at the Peter L. Reichertz Institute for Medical Informatics at University of Braunschweig - Institute of Technology and Hannover Medical School, Germany Franziska Jahn, MSc, is research associate at the Institute of Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, University of Leipzig, Germany.