Clinical Informatics

Physicians who practice clinical informatics collaborate with other health care and information technology professionals to promote patient care that is safe, efficient, effective, timely, patient-centered, and equitable.

Clinical informaticians transform health care by analyzing, designing, implementing, and evaluating information and communication systems that enhance individual and population health outcomes, improve patient care, and strengthen the clinician-patient relationship.

Clinical informaticians use their knowledge of patient care combined with their understanding of informatics concepts, methods, and tools to

• assess information and knowledge needs of health care professionals and patients;
• characterize, evaluate, and refine clinical processes;
• develop, implement, and refine clinical decision support systems; and
• lead or participate in the procurement, customization, development, implementation, management, evaluation, and continuous improvement of clinical information systems such as electronic health records and order-entry systems.