Informatics Activities in the United States - Report from AMIA
AMIA - Informatics Professionals. Leading the Way.
AMIA represents more than 5,400 healthcare professionals, students, informatics researchers,
practitioners, and thought-leaders in biomedicine, healthcare, and science. AMIA's
members are subject matter experts in the science and practice of informatics as it
relates to clinical care, research, education, and policy. They address challenges
across the continuum of the health ecosystem— consumers and patients, healthcare providers
and care delivery systems, population and public health, and basic and clinical research
with the ultimate goal to advance better health, better healthcare, and improved efficiency
through the use of informatics and information technology.
The Evolution of AMIA Meetings and Conferences
In 2018, AMIA will embark on a brand refresh for each of its ive signature meetings.
Buoyed by the launch of a new Why Informatics? communications campaign, the AMIA Board
of Directors recognized a need for clearer identification for the AMIA meetings to
support messaging to those that are outside of AMIA's membership. Membership and meeting
attendance is strong, but reaching new people requires outreach messaging with greater
clarity and intent of purpose.
Altogether, the AMIA meetings attract over 3,700 registrants and serve diverse, multidisciplinary
and interprofessional populations. In 2018, AMIA is poised to reach out even further
to embrace new communities in the informatics-related solar system of science and
practice—health data scientists, applied clinical informatics professionals, educators
not yet accredited, and online learners from across the globe.
AMIA meetings offer education, networking, and peer-reviewed presentation opportunities
reflecting the comprehensive range of informatics domains serving hundreds of health
and healthcare related disciplines. AMIA is committed to helping informatics students
and professionals find their home within the home for informatics professionals.
New AMIA Meeting Names
AMIA 2018 Informatics Summit Translational | Clinical Research | Implementation |
Data Science
March 12 - 15, San Francisco, CA
The Informatics Summit (formerly the Joint Summits) is the evolution of two consecutive
meetings into one integrated meeting with four complimentary tracks serving clinical
and translational investigators, health data scientists, computational biologists,
genomics researchers, public health geneticists, clinical and public health informaticians,
and policy professionals focused on the research enterprise.
AMIA 2018 Clinical Informatics Conference Evidence | Analytics | Best Practice
May 8 - 10, Scottsdale, AZ
The Clinical Informatics Conference (formerly iHealth) serves CMIO/CMO/ CNIO/CNO executives,
physicians, nurses, quality and patient safety professionals, and other clinicians
in health-system and hospital settings interested in improving healthcare processes,
outcomes, satisfaction, and efficiency through health IT innovations.
AMIA 2018 Informatics Educators Forum Scholarship | Leadership | Professional Advancement
June 19 - 21, New Orleans, LA
The Informatics Educators Forum (formerly InSpire) brings together the leaders of
60+ institutional members of AMIA's Academic Forum, informatics professors, emerging
faculty, and graduate students to learn about state-of-the-art approaches and best
practices in education, research, and training and to build, support, and strengthen
the academic informatics community.
AMIA 2018 Annual Symposium
November 3 - 7, San Francisco, CA
AMIA's lagship annual meeting draws the multidisciplinary, interprofessional community
of informaticians together for five intensive days of learning and networking features
hundreds of scientific sessions, workshops, exhibition, posters, and opportunities
highlighting the full breadth and depth of the informatics profession.
The Evolution of AMIA Publications
JAMIA
JAMIA continues to provide members and subscribers with the best in biomedical and
health informatics publishing as the premier journal in the field. Lucila Ohno-Machado
and the JAMIA Editorial Board published a special issue on data science in early 2018.
The journal also featured sections focused on using HIT for CDS and predictive analytics,
patient safety, and data driven approaches to advancing biomedical research.
The year 2018 also marked an historical change to JAMIA by moving to monthly online
only publication. This evolution has enabled us to increase the frequency of journal
issues, partner with digital object repositories, and support the dissemination of
informatics research.
JAMIA Open
In 2017, AMIA also launched JAMIA Open, a new peer-reviewed, online-only, and gold
open access journal led by Neil Sarkar. JA-MIA Open provides a global forum for the
publication of novel research and insights in the major areas of informatics for biomedicine
and health (e.g., translational bioinformatics, clinical research informatics, clinical
informatics, public health informatics, and consumer health informatics), as well
as related areas such as data science, qualitative research, and implementation science.
JAMIA Open articles, which include application notes, database notes, and patient/
community perspectives, alongside original research, reflect the broad diversity of
the field of informatics community, focusing on the intersection of informatics, health,
communication, and technology, and how that intersection can support patient care
through research, practice, and education. JAMIA Open authors are encouraged to make
data and source code accessible through publicly accessible repositories that can
be cited using digital object identifiers. Accepted manuscripts will be required to
have a patient/community facing abstract that highlights key findings.
Applied Clinical Informatics
AMIA members continue to receive the journal Applied Clinical Informatics as part
of their membership. As the official eJournal of AMIA and IMIA, ACI publishes approximately
100 peer-reviewed articles per year. It aims to establish a platform that allows sharing
knowledge between clinical medicine and health IT specialists as well as bridging
gaps between visionary design and successful and pragmatic deployment. ACI also launched
an open access companion journal envisioned to publish matters in the field of clinical
informatics lead by AMIA members Lipika Samal and David Dorr.
Advocacy Focused on Creating Impact in Health and Healthcare
AMIA continues to develop its brand of evidence-based public policy in Washington,
D.C. Notably, AMIA published policy principles and positions further defining the
emerging domain of health informatics policy. Not unlike environmental policy, security
policy, or welfare policy, health informatics policy is a distinct policy domain that
seeks to optimize care delivery and care experience, improve population and public
health, and advance discovery through the collection, analysis, and application of
data.
AMIA published the first of several pillars of health informatics policy in 2016,
including health IT safety, data sharing in research, workforce, education, and patient
empowerment. In 2017, AMIA added to the pantheon of health informatics policy by developing
principles for HIT data standards and interoperability, informatics-driven quality
measurement, and population health informatics. AMIA will use these policy principles
and positions to articulate to its members, policymakers, and other stakeholders those
issues and conversations we consider most important.
AMIA also established more than twenty ad hoc response teams, leveraging the expertise
of more than 150 AMIA members, to help the federal government develop policy across
a range of issues spanning clinical care, research, and public health. These recommendations
were vital in helping to orient the new administration and new Congress to our issues
and the importance of health informatics. This year, we discussed with the FCC how
access to broadband internet is a social determinant of health, we helped the NLM
understand opportunities at the intersection of data science and health, we called
on ONC to renew their focus on HIT standards, and we held briefings for Congress on
Crossing the Health IT Chasm and briefed the White House on the issues we care most
deeply.
AMIA also launched a partnership with OpenNotes (an organization dedicated to empowering
patients through access to their clinical notes) and joined the American Medical Association
as a launch partner for their Integrated Health Model Initiative, an effort to improve
how data is used for patient care.
For more information
AMIA
4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 500
Bethesda, MD 20814
Tel: 301-657-1291
Fax: 301-657-1296
Email: mail@amia.org
Website: www.amia.org
Twitter: @AMIAinformatics
LinkedIn: Official Group of AMIA
Facebook: American Medical Informatics Association
Informatics Activities in Canada - Report from Digital Health Canada
Name Change - From COACH: Canada's Health Informatics Association to Digital Health
Canada
In Canada a six-month rebranding process was undertaken to capture input widely and
broadly, in order to move the national association forward to meet current and emerging
membership needs. To that end, feedback was gathered from stakeholder interviews,
focus groups (member and non-member), and an open online survey at the e-Health Conference
and Tradeshow. In addition, elected board representatives of COACH: Canada's Health
Informatics Association (COACH) took an active part in every step of the rebranding
process and all members had an opportunity to cast their vote on the name change at
a special members-only meeting held via webinar on September 14, 2017. As a result,
the name of Canada's national organization was changed from COACH to Digital Health
Canada.
Digital health is the industry in which we all work. Health informatics is a core
discipline and requisite body of knowledge for professionals working in digital health.
Digital health can be defined as any technology-enabled care — digital media, health
technology, mobile devices — that gives patients, care givers, and healthcare professionals
access to relevant data easily, with the goal of improving the quality of health care.
Digital health is a broad term that encompasses a wide range of sub-categories, including
m-health, e-health, telehealth, EHR (electronic health records), and more. The new
name and brand signifies the Canadian association's evolution to meet the needs of
a complex and broadening digital health industry and to expand the association's reach
to include professionals working in a broader and growing domain area related to digital
health Canada. To stay current, it was felt the association must widen its scope to
introduce existing members and community to new industry players, allowing both parties
to connect, collaborate, remain current, and contribute to leading practice advancements.
An openness to change demonstrated adaptability and commitment to staying current
but consistent in a rapidly changing world.
Current Membership
Digital Health Canada now includes over 2,400 members. The membership is broad, including
professionals from all areas of healthcare, students, informatics researchers, thought
leaders, and practitioners at all levels. The association has continued to maintain
a global and holistic perspective on the field of health informatics and digital health
and works to connect, inspire and educate health professionals who are shaping the
future of health in Canada. The organization aims to catalyze the digital health community
and incubate knowledge by demonstrating leadership in health informatics, supporting
collaboration through sharing of health informatics and digital health knowledge and
experience, remaining committed to continuous learning, being guided by professionalism
and ethics and responding to the emerging needs of its members and the health system.
Conferences and Events
eHealth 2017: The Future of Digital Health and the People Who Benefit, was held in Toronto from
June 4 to June 7, 2017 and focused on the past, current, and future state of Canada's
digital health community. Canada's national e-Health conference and exhibition welcomed
1,500 attendees with 8 keynote speakers, over 250 educational sessions and over 85
exhibitors (with a “Start Up Zone” made available for new companies). The fourth annual
Hackathon at the conference focused on “Hacking Mental Health in the Workplace”. The
Canadian Health Informatics (CHIA) Gala also celebrated thought leaders, innovative
industry leaders, and emerging health informatics professionals.
Webinar Wednesdays
continued to provide an online and convenient way for health professionals to keep
up with emerging issues, trends, and ideas in health informatics and digital health.
The topics have varied, including telehealth, standards, privacy and security, data
quality, patient centered care, consumer health informatics, and other timely and
important areas aimed to keep attendees up to date.
COACH/ANHIX 2017 Conference
- Alberta's Clinical Information System: The New Frontier was held on February 8,
2017 in Calgary Alberta and featured public and private sector leaders who shared
their vision for the provincial Clinical Information System. It had over 130 attendees,
who discussed integrated health records, precision medicine, and digital health leadership.
UPONDIGITAL: The Ontario Update on Digital Health 2017
took place in Toronto on March 6, 2017 and featured speakers discussing the innovation
agenda from the public sector and government perspective. Challenges and opportunities
in innovation in Ontario were discussed. Public and private sector leaders from across
the province participated in the discussions. Over 130 attendees participate in the
event.
Ahead of the Curve: Patient Engagement and Connected Care
took place at TELUS Garden in Vancouver on March 27, 2017. At this breakfast session,
thought leaders shared perspectives and led discussion on engaging patients in their
care with emerging technologies and innovative care models with 40 engaged participants.
Canada's Health Informatics Executive Forum (CHIEF) Spring Symposium
took place in Toronto on June 2-3, 2017. More than 70 CHIEFs met to build trusted
relationships, collaborate on finding solutions for the issue facing healthcare today,
and discuss the future of digital health in Canada. Sessions included pan-Canadian
CIO panel and leadership discussion, advice to Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term
Care on development of provincial data and analytics strategy, and breakout groups
developing guidelines for consumer digital health.
Driving the Future of Digital Health
took place at Toronto's Exhibition Place on October 30, 2017. More than 120 attendees
participated in this new one-day digital health industry conference with an interactive
format for greater attendee engagement. Panels explored the horizon of the digital
health implications for space medicine and human travel in deep space; innovative
partnerships moving care and information from hospital to community and home; new
models for consumer engagement and intersection points between consumer-driven access,
retail health, and virtual care.
New and Updated Publications
A number of new and updated publications were released over the last year. This included
a new report released in November 2016 entitled
National Digital Health Leadership Report: A Current State Snapshot. To develop this report, consultation was conducted with digital health leaders. CEO
Mark Casselman states, “Our report brings forward what is happening now across Canada,
and will help inform a roadmap for health system transformation going forward”.
The popular and well subscribed set of guidelines was updated in the publication
Putting It Into Practice - Privacy and Security for Healthcare Providers Implementing
Electronic Medical Records Special Edition V3. This resource has helped to increase awareness and understanding of privacy and security
and been important source of information for institutional decision-making. This publication
continues to be available as an eBook and as a hard-copy book.
Programs, Services and Resources
Digital Health Canada continues to offer a wide array of programs, services, and resources.
This has included both individual and institutional membership opportunities, and
membership identities for subgroups such as Canadian Telehealth and Emerging Health
Informatics Professionals. In addition, CHIEF (Canada's Health Informatics Executives
Forum) continues to provide a channel to thought leaders and expert-level knowledge.
In addition to Canada's National eHealth Conference, symposiums with partner provincial
jurisdictions have included the following: the Alberta Network for Health Information
Exchange (ANHIX) Symposium, the Ontario ONUP conference, the BC Health Information
Management Professionals Society, and the Ontario Hospital Association eHealthAchieve.
In terms of education and training, Digital Health Canada continues to offer CPHIMSCA
preparation courses, health informatics workshops, and webinars. The association has
also continued to work closely with the academic programs at universities and colleges
across Canada. Work that continues to be influential includes the CPHIMS-CA Certification,
the HIP® Competency framework, HIP® core competencies (which have been used to guide
curricula in health informatics throughout Canada and internationally), HIP® career
matrix, HIP® role profiles and the Interactive HIP® Career Matrix. The association
has also continued to support a variety of communities of action and provide a wide
range of key documents, guidelines, and white papers. These include Guidelines for
the Protection of Health Information, Privacy & Security Special Edition, eSafety
Guidelines, Health Informatics Human Resources Guidelines, HI Education Report, Canadian
Telehealth Report, EHR Governance White Paper, EMR Adoption White Paper, Journals,
HICSS, and the IMIA Yearbook.
