Clinical Informatics Sub-Specialty Board Certification

Abstract

Increased funding for health information technology and the advance of electronic health records in hospitals and practices have created the need for a new specialist: the clinical informatician. Clinical informatics was recognized in 2011 as the latest subspecialty in medicine by the American Board of Medical Specialties. This article reviews the need for this new specialty as well as the steps necessary for its creation. The content and training requirements for clinical informatics are discussed as well as eligibility criteria for taking the board examination. Training programs as well as board preparation are addressed along with the expected impact that this new field will have on the practice of medicine.

Preparing Future Pediatric Care Providers with a Clinical Informatics Elective

“…1 Biomedical or clinical informatics has developed as its own certified field of study as of 2011 with discoveries transforming the practice of medicine. 2 The focus of clinical informatics over the years has varied somewhat but patient safety and quality of care have remained central targets for intervention with recent contextual attention on health equity and access to care. 3 Despite the notable overlap of goals between clinical informatics and clinical medicine and affiliated fields, formal training in clinical informatics is not universal for medical and postgraduate trainees, who are entering the workforce underprepared for the evolving landscape of health information technology (IT).…”

“…5 Nevertheless, other than American College of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-certified clinical informatics fellowships which culminate in board certification cosponsored by the American Boards of Pathology and Preventive Medicine, formal informatics training for medical trainees within the scope of their standard medical training curriculum has been limited to the fields of radiology and pathology and through individual program initiatives in other fields. 2 6 7 8 9…”

“…5 Nevertheless, other than American College of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-certified clinical informatics fellowships which culminate in board certification cosponsored by the American Boards of Pathology and Preventive Medicine, formal informatics training for medical trainees within the scope of their standard medical training curriculum has been limited to the fields of radiology and pathology and through individual program initiatives in other fields. 2,[6][7][8][9] Interestingly, the ACGME does not explicitly include clinical informatics content for family medicine residents. In contrast, internal medicine, pediatrics, and emergency medicine ACGME competencies include the use of IT as a means to optimize learning.…”