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Informatics

...Informatics is an emerging discipline that has been defined as the study, invention, and implementation of structures and algorithms to improve communication, understanding and management of medical information. The end objective of biomedical informatics is the coalescing of data, knowledge, and the tools necessary to apply that data and knowledge in the decision-making process, at the time and place that a decision needs to be made. The focus on the structures and algorithms necessary to manipulate the information separates Biomedical Informatics from other medical disciplines where information content is the focus." Aamir M. Zakaria., MD "Medical Informatics Frequently Asked Questions"

This category is not for sites providing health or medical information. Informatics is quite different from information.

The category examines areas such as health concepts, ontologies, classifications, terminologies, (health) knowledge management methodologies and algorithms, electronic health record storage and delivery structures, health messaging and communication systems (including visual and auditory), and decision support systems. Related topics such as the human-computer interface, ethical and legal impacts, consumer access, security and privacy as well as many ethical issues are part of the health informatics world.

Training,education and standards are important as well as the many philosophical and conceptual debates and challenges as how best to represent health and disease for computer manipulation.

All health care professionals - doctors, nurses and allied health are working in these exciting developments.

Associations

Organisations that have health informatics as their central focus or mission. Organisations that have a broader focus than health may be moved to a more appropriate category.

Health care is to be a central focus of the association. The association must deal with one or more aspects of health informatics. Purely commercial associations (for-profit) should be listed in the Business categories.

Conferences

Details of future and past conferences and meeting focussed on health informatics.

Old sites will be removed after 12 months unless they retain some content of value to a searcher.

Departments

Academic sites (universities, learned colleges etc.) where the study of information systems related to medicine and health is facilitated and studied.

Journals

Journals specifically focussed on health informatics and closely related topics. General articles or documents available on the web that discuss the fields of health informatics.

Must be either a journal or an article (eg.pdf) relating to health informatics. Articles not related to healthcare in some way are not suitable. There may be more specific categories for an article''s focus and sites should be submitted to those categories first.

People

Sites containing details of learned people with significant health informatics focus.

Sites simply advertising consultancy services will not be listed here. Site must contain significant evidence of publication, academic activity, leadership within related informatics associations or peer acknowledgements through awards, titles, prizes etc.

Standards

National or international standards and their associated sites directly related to some element of health informatics.

If the standard does not relate to health care directly it should more correctly be submitted to Science/Reference/Standards. Information relating specifically to a specific standard is welcome though if more correctly related to a specific informatics area please submit to that category. Business (for profit) sites are not appropriate here.

Telemedicine

Telemedicine is known by several names - eHealth, telehealth, eMedicine and Internet healthcare to name a few. Whatever the title, telemedicine is the provision of healthcare solutions to geographically remote areas via Internet technology. Simply put, telemedicine uses telecommunications to allow physicians to diagnose and treat patients anywhere in the world. Please note - This category does not concern businesses serving the healthcare industry, instead see Business/Healthcare.

Please submit only sites dealing with Telemedicine in this category. Please note - This category does not concern businesses serving the healthcare industry, instead see Business/Healthcare.

Terminologies and Classifications

Interface terminologies, reference clinical classifications, ontologies, archetypes, health concepts and associated standards are critical foundation elements of health informatics. Sites listed should lead the user further into those fields.

Sites listed here will focus on terminology associated with medical informatics.
Sites about terminology in other fields of medicine belong in those specific categories. (eg A site about terminology in Family Medicine belongs in Health/Medicine/Medical_Specialties/Family_Medicine/. )