Computing Foundations & Productivity Software

Week 1 — Lesson 1  |  CI2000: Computer Fundamentals

Lesson Overview: Every healthcare professional relies on technology — from checking in patients to managing records. In this lesson you will learn the building blocks of computing: hardware vs. software, software categories, the Microsoft 365 suite, and how to choose the right app for each task in your workday.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson you will be able to:

  • Classify software into system, application, and productivity categories and explain each type’s role in clinical operations (CO-1)
  • Identify the Microsoft 365 applications used in healthcare settings and match each to its primary workplace function (CO-1)
  • Distinguish between local and cloud-based software, explaining why cloud computing matters for healthcare data access and collaboration (CO-1)

Part 1: Understanding Hardware and Software in Healthcare

Every time you check in a patient, update a record, or print a prescription label, you rely on a computer system made up of two fundamental parts: hardware and software. Understanding the difference is the first step toward becoming a confident, tech-savvy healthcare professional.

Hardware: The Physical Components

Hardware is any physical device you can see and touch — think of it as the body of the computer. Without hardware, there is nothing to run programs on. Explore the four categories:

Select each panel to review hardware categories.

1) Input Devices — Sending Data In

Input devices send information into the computer:

  • Keyboards and mice for data entry and navigation
  • Barcode scanners for medication and specimen tracking
  • Touchscreens on tablets used during patient rounds
  • Microphones for voice dictation of clinical notes

2) Output Devices — Presenting Data Out

Output devices present information from the computer:

  • Monitors displaying patient records and scheduling systems
  • Printers for prescriptions, wristbands, and lab labels
  • Speakers for telehealth audio and notification alerts

3) Processing — The Brain of the Computer

The CPU (Central Processing Unit) performs all calculations and executes instructions. It is the brain that makes every other component useful. When you open an EHR application, the CPU processes millions of instructions per second to display the patient’s chart.

4) Storage — Where Data Lives

Storage devices save data for later retrieval:

  • Hard drives & SSDs inside computers for local data
  • Network servers storing EHR and practice management data
  • Cloud storage like OneDrive for remote access
  • USB drives (increasingly restricted in healthcare due to security policies)

Pro Tip: Describing problems accurately helps IT support resolve issues faster. For example: “My output device is not working — the printer will not print” is far more useful than “the computer is broken.”

Software: The Instructions

Software is the set of instructions that tells hardware what to do. You cannot physically hold it — it exists as code stored on a drive or in the cloud. Software divides into two major categories:

  1. System software — The foundational layer that manages hardware. The most common example is an operating system (Windows, macOS). It starts when you power on and runs in the background.
  2. Application software — Programs designed for specific tasks: web browsers, email clients, and specialized healthcare apps like Epic, Cerner, or Athenahealth.

Key Takeaway: Think of the operating system as the foundation and walls of a building, and application software as the furniture and equipment inside. The building must be constructed first before you can move in the furniture.

Healthcare Connection: When a nurse logs into a workstation-on-wheels (WOW) at a patient’s bedside, Windows (system software) authenticates the login, while the EHR application (application software) retrieves the patient’s chart. The keyboard is input hardware, the monitor is output hardware, and the CPU processes all instructions.

Knowledge Check

A nurse logs into a workstation-on-wheels and opens the EHR to review a medication list. Which is an example of software?

Part 2: Software Categories and Healthcare Examples

Now that you understand the hardware-software distinction, let’s explore the major software categories you’ll encounter in healthcare workplaces. Select each tab to learn more:

Operating systems (Windows, macOS), device drivers, and utility programs form the foundation that manages the computer’s hardware.

In healthcare: Windows manages clinic workstations, network printers, and security updates. IT departments deploy system updates centrally to keep all clinic computers secure and compliant.

Word processors, spreadsheets, presentation tools, and databases help you create, edit, and manage documents and data.

In healthcare: Microsoft Word for patient letters and policy manuals, Excel for inventory tracking and patient data analysis, PowerPoint for staff training and patient education materials.

Email clients, video conferencing, and messaging platforms connect people and enable collaboration across locations.

In healthcare: Outlook for professional email and scheduling, Teams for telehealth and staff meetings, secure messaging platforms for HIPAA-compliant communication about patient care.

Antivirus, firewalls, encryption tools, and VPN clients protect data and systems from unauthorized access and cyber threats.

In healthcare: Endpoint protection on clinic computers, encrypted email for transmitting patient data, VPN for remote EHR access, and multi-factor authentication for login security.

Cloud-Based Software

A growing number of healthcare applications run on remote servers and are accessed through a web browser. Microsoft 365 is a prime example — your documents, spreadsheets, and emails can be accessed from any device with an internet connection.

Why Healthcare Organizations Choose the Cloud

  • Accessibility — Staff can access files from any location, supporting telehealth, remote billing, and multi-site clinics.
  • Automatic updates — The provider handles patches and upgrades, reducing the burden on in-house IT.
  • Scalability — Add users and storage without purchasing new servers.
  • Disaster recovery — Cloud-stored data is backed up automatically, protecting against hardware failures.

HIPAA Tip: Healthcare organizations must ensure cloud providers sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) and meet strict encryption standards before handling any patient data. Microsoft 365 offers HIPAA-compliant plans specifically for healthcare customers.

Healthcare Connection: A medical billing specialist working from home can securely access clinic billing spreadsheets in Excel Online and send HIPAA-compliant emails through Outlook — all without installing software on a personal computer, thanks to cloud-based Microsoft 365.

Watch: What Is Microsoft 365?

▶ What is Microsoft 365 — Explained • Kevin Stratvert • 8 min

Part 3: Introduction to Microsoft 365 for Healthcare

Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) is a cloud-based productivity suite that bundles Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more with cloud storage, collaboration tools, and security features. It has become essential for healthcare professionals in daily operations.

Your Digital Toolkit

Each card below shows an application in the Microsoft 365 suite and how it is used in healthcare:

W

Word

Patient consent forms, referral letters, clinic policies, procedure manuals

X

Excel

Supply inventory, staff scheduling, patient volume reports, budget analysis

P

PowerPoint

New-employee orientation, in-service training, patient education, meetings

O

Outlook

Appointment scheduling, referral correspondence, meeting invitations, tasks

T

Teams

Care team coordination, telehealth visits, shift handoff communication

☁

OneDrive

Personal cloud storage, access files from any clinic location, mobile access

S

SharePoint

Policy library, training manuals, compliance documentation, shared resources

N

OneNote

Meeting notes, clinical reference collections, onboarding checklists

Select each panel to explore Microsoft 365 in more detail.

Desktop vs. Web vs. Mobile — Three Ways to Work

  • Desktop application — Full-featured version installed on your PC. Best for complex formatting or building advanced Excel formulas.
  • Web application — Accessed through a browser at office.com. Ideal for quick edits or working from shared computers.
  • Mobile application — Streamlined versions for iOS and Android. Review email, approve documents, or check schedules during rounds.

All three sync automatically through OneDrive. A supervisor can start a staffing spreadsheet at their office desktop, review it on a tablet during rounds, and finalize it from home.

Cloud Storage & Collaboration Features

  • Backed up automatically — No risk of losing work if your computer crashes.
  • Accessible anywhere — Log in from any device to access your files.
  • Shareable with controls — Choose view-only or edit access. Track Changes and comments make collaborative editing seamless.
  • Version-controlled — Restore an earlier version of any document if needed.

Security & HIPAA Compliance

  • Data encryption — Files are encrypted both in transit and at rest on Microsoft’s servers.
  • Multi-factor authentication (MFA) — Requires a second verification step, making unauthorized access significantly harder.
  • Data Loss Prevention (DLP) — Detects and blocks accidental sharing of sensitive information like SSNs or medical record numbers.
  • Audit logs — Records of who accessed which files and when, supporting compliance investigations.

Microsoft offers a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) for healthcare customers, required under HIPAA before any cloud service can handle Protected Health Information (PHI).

Knowledge Check

The IT department installs a security patch that fixes a vulnerability in Windows 11 on all office computers. This patch updates which type of software?

Part 4: Choosing the Right Tool — Healthcare Scenarios

Knowing what each application does is only half the battle. The real skill is recognizing which tool fits which task. Work through the three scenarios below to test your judgement.

Try It: Maria’s Day at Sunshine Community Health Center

Read each scenario and choose the best Microsoft 365 application. Select an option to see the feedback.

Scenario 1 — 7:45 AM

Maria arrives early and needs to send a professional referral email to a specialist with attached patient records, then schedule a follow-up appointment on the doctor’s calendar.

Which Microsoft 365 app should she use?

Correct! Outlook handles both email (with attachments) and calendar scheduling. Maria can compose the referral, attach the patient records, and send a meeting invitation — all from one application.

Not quite. Word is for creating formatted documents. For sending a formal email with an attachment and scheduling a calendar appointment, Outlook is the right choice.

Not quite. Teams is excellent for real-time team communication. For a formal referral email with an attachment and a calendar booking, Outlook is the better fit.

Scenario 2 — 10:00 AM

Maria’s supervisor wants a breakdown of monthly supply costs across 12 months — totals, averages, and a chart showing spending trends vs. budget.

Which app should she use?

Not quite. Word is for text documents. For numerical data with formulas and charts, Excel is the right tool.

Correct! Excel’s grid layout, formulas (SUM, AVERAGE), and chart tools are perfect for organizing numerical data and visualizing spending trends.

Not quite. PowerPoint is for presentations. To calculate totals and build an interactive data table with charts, Excel is the right choice.

Scenario 3 — 2:30 PM

The compliance officer asks Maria to upload the updated employee handbook, HIPAA policies, and safety protocols where all 120 staff members can always access the latest version.

Which app fits best?

Close, but not quite. OneDrive is personal cloud storage. For organization-wide policy documents that 120 staff need with proper version control, SharePoint is the right choice.

Correct! SharePoint acts as the organization’s intranet with structured document libraries, search, and permission controls — ensuring everyone always sees the current, up-to-date version.

Not quite. Emailing policy documents creates version confusion. SharePoint ensures all staff access the same up-to-date documents in one place.

Three Questions to Choose the Right Tool:

  1. What type of output do I need? (document, spreadsheet, presentation, email, conversation)
  2. Who needs to see or use it? (just me, my team, the whole organization, external recipients)
  3. Does it need real-time collaboration? (simultaneous editing, live chat, video meetings)

Watch: All Microsoft 365 Apps Explained

▶ All the Microsoft 365 Apps Explained • Kevin Stratvert

Knowledge Check

A clinic office manager needs to track medical supply expenses across 12 months, calculate totals, and create a spending-trends chart. Which application is best?

Key Terminology

  • Hardware: Physical components of a computer system that you can see and touch (input, output, processing, storage devices)
  • Software: The instructions that tell hardware what to do; exists as code, not a physical object
  • System software: Programs that manage hardware and provide a platform for other software to run (e.g., Windows, macOS)
  • Application software: Programs designed for specific tasks such as word processing, email, or healthcare management (e.g., Epic, Word)
  • Cloud computing: Storing and accessing data and programs over the internet rather than on a local hard drive
  • Microsoft 365: A cloud-based productivity suite from Microsoft including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint, and OneNote
  • HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; the federal law governing privacy and security of patient health information
  • BAA (Business Associate Agreement): A contract required under HIPAA before a vendor can access, store, or process Protected Health Information (PHI)

Lesson 1.1 Summary

Mastering computing fundamentals gives healthcare professionals the confidence to use technology accurately and effectively. Keep these core ideas in mind as you move forward:

  • Hardware is the physical equipment (input, output, processing, storage); software is the instructions.
  • System software (operating systems) manages hardware; application software performs specific workplace tasks.
  • Healthcare workplaces use four software categories: system, productivity, communication, and security.
  • Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based suite with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint, and OneNote.
  • Microsoft 365 works on desktop, web, and mobile — all synced automatically through the cloud.
  • Choose the right tool by asking: What output? Who’s the audience? Real-time collaboration needed?

References

Microsoft Corporation. (2024). Microsoft 365 for healthcare. Retrieved from microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/healthcare