Informaticist manifesto

Our national experiment with implementation of electronic medical records has many implications[1]. Within the healthcare informatics community a broadly understood and appreciated goal of this effort is improved outcomes and reduction of healthcare cost. In large part, due to the HITECH Act, there is widespread attention being applied to implementation and installation of EMR systems. Looking ahead, we can anticipate an increasingly data rich environment in health care. Indeed some institutions such as Duke and the VA have already attained this status. But in order to move toward the goals of improved outcomes and economic efficiency, it is necessary to transform this wealth of data into insights about patient management, clinical decisions and workflows. This task presents multiple challenges.

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[1] PCAST report on healthcare IT, http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/pcast-health-it-report.pdf