Year: 2015
Type: article
Abstract: In the US, the new subspecialty of Clinical Informatics focuses on systems-level improvements in care delivery through the use of health information technology (HIT), data analytics, clinical decision support, data visualization and related tools. Clinical informatics is one of the first subspecialties in medicine open to physicians trained in any primary specialty. Clinical Informatics benefits patients and payers such as Medicare and Medicaid through its potential to reduce errors, increase safety, reduce costs, and improve care coordination and efficiency. Even though Clinical Informatics benefits patients and payers, because GME funding from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has not grown at the same rate as training programs, the majority of the cost of training new Clinical Informaticians is currently paid by academic health science centers, which is unsustainable. To maintain the value of HIT investments by the government and health care organizations, we must train sufficient leaders in Clinical Informatics. In the best interest of patients, payers, and the US society, it is therefore critical to find viable financial models for Clinical Informatics fellowship programs. To support the development of adequate training programs in Clinical Informatics, we request that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issue clarifying guidance that would allow accredited ACGME institutions to bill for clinical services delivered by fellows at the fellowship program site within their primary specialty.
Source: Applied Clinical Informatics
Authors: C. A. Longhurst, W. Hersh, V. Mohan, B.P. Levy, P.J. Embi, J.T. Finnell, A.M. Turner, R. Martin, J. Williamson, B. Munger, C.U. Lehmann
Institutions: Stanford University, Oregon Health & Science University, University of Illinois Chicago, The Ohio State University, Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University Indianapolis, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, University of Washington, American Medical Informatics Association, American Board of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt University
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W1822690214