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The Discipline of Clinical Informatics: Maturation of a New Profession

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Clinical Informatics Study Guide

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Abstract

The discipline of clinical informatics continues to evolve as it has for the past half-century. In the past decade, electronic health records (EHR) in inpatient care settings have become essentially ubiquitous in the United States. Clinical informaticians are now focused on optimizing EHRs and clinical decision support to improve healthcare quality and harnessing the ever-expanding health data to support public health and research. The profession of clinical informatics reached a pivotal milestone with the establishment of certification for physicians who work in the discipline and accreditation of training programs. A parallel certification option is now available for those who are not eligible for the medical subspecialty certification. This is a welcome development since, with clinical informatics recognized as an integrative discipline across the health professions, such extension of certification programs should enhance the field’s value to society. While career options remain diverse and the need for well-trained clinical informaticians is apparent, inertia regarding sources of financial support for trainees and their educational programs, and funding streams to support such workers in the health system persist as important issues. Correcting this situation is critical since the field’s practical and strategic importance and practitioners are widely acknowledged.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA

    Don E. Detmer

  2. American Board of Emergency Medicine, Traverse City, MI, USA

    Benson S. Munger

  3. American Medical Informatics Association, Matthews, NC, USA

    Elaine B. Steen

  4. Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Edward H. Shortliffe

Authors
  1. Don E. Detmer
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  2. Benson S. Munger
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  3. Elaine B. Steen
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  4. Edward H. Shortliffe
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Don E. Detmer .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    John T. Finnell

  2. Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Brian E. Dixon

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Detmer, D.E., Munger, B.S., Steen, E.B., Shortliffe, E.H. (2022). The Discipline of Clinical Informatics: Maturation of a New Profession. In: Finnell, J.T., Dixon, B.E. (eds) Clinical Informatics Study Guide. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93765-2_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93765-2_1

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-93765-2

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