PDF icon Download PDF
Open Access
CC BY 4.0 · Appl Clin Inform 2025; 16(04): 1171-1183
DOI: 10.1055/a-2680-5920
State of the Art/Best Practice Paper

Achieving ACGME Clinical Informatics Fellowship Accreditation: A Chronicle of Our Institution's Journey

Srikar Chamala
1   Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, California, United States
2   Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, California, United States
,
Matthew S. Keefer
2   Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, California, United States
3   Department of General Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States
,
Troy McGuire
2   Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, California, United States
3   Department of General Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States
,
Leticia Diaz
1   Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, California, United States
,
Anthony A. Luberti
4   Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
,
Christoph U. Lehmann
5   Clinical Informatics Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
6   Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
,
Ryan J. Schmidt
1   Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, California, United States
2   Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, California, United States
› Author Affiliations
› Further Information
Also available ateRef
  Permissions and Reprints
Preview

Abstract

Background

Clinical informatics (CI) is a dynamic field at the intersection of health care, technology, and information science, aimed at enhancing health care delivery and patient outcomes. CI fellowship programs prepare physicians to lead and apply health information technologies that drive improvements in clinical care, system efficiency, and innovation. Achieving Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accreditation for such programs is crucial for standardizing training and ensuring the development of a competent workforce.

Objectives

This study aims to share our institution's experience at Children's Hospital Los Angeles in obtaining ACGME accreditation for a CI fellowship program, highlighting key steps and strategies.

Methods

A multidisciplinary steering committee, including institutional leaders and CI experts, was formed. Key activities included a needs assessment, curriculum development, securing institutional support, and engaging with external advisors from accredited CI programs. The curriculum was designed to align with ACGME core competencies and the American Board of Preventive Medicine's CI subspecialty requirements. Extensive documentation, including rotation schedules and evaluation forms, was prepared for submission.

Results

Our CI fellowship program received ACGME accreditation. Essential components that contributed to our success included strong institutional support, a well-defined curriculum integrating clinical and non-clinical rotations, and strategic faculty involvement across various informatics domains. Guidance from experienced directors at established CI programs was instrumental in expediting our application process and ensuring program readiness. The development of detailed documentation, such as a block diagram and competency-based evaluations, was crucial in demonstrating compliance with ACGME requirements.

Conclusion

Our experience of achieving ACGME accreditation underscores the importance of assembling a diverse steering committee, engaging external expertise, and securing robust faculty participation. The strategies and insights gained from our accreditation journey can serve as a roadmap for other institutions aiming to establish CI fellowship programs, which are vital for training future leaders in CI and advancing health care innovation.

Keywords

clinical informatics - fellowship - ACGME accreditation - graduate medical education - physician - workforce - ACGME - medical informatics - CHLA

Protection of Human and Animal Subjects

This study did not involve human or animal subjects.


Supplementary Material



Publication History

Received: 15 February 2025

Accepted: 01 August 2025

Accepted Manuscript online:
12 August 2025

Article published online:
26 September 2025

© 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany