Year: 2018
Type: editorial
Abstract: As a healthcare discipline, biomedical informatics is first and foremost focused on the development of approaches for transforming data into knowledge for supporting patients. A recurrent theme in the articles published in this second issue of JAMIA Open is the important role of patients. Biomedical informatics contributions start with a patient, whether it is the use of informatics approaches for organizing information about patients for improving their care, understanding their health status, advancing educational programs for the next generation, or supporting advancement of studies through clinical trials. The second issue of a new journal is an important milestone. It reflects that the content of the journal is not dependent on the excitement of being “new,” and that we have proven that we can sustain enough volume to produce a full issue. I am pleased to report that the rate of submissions continues to exceed expectations and that the majority of our submissions continue to be direct submissions. In reading this issue, I am certain that you will agree that the quality remains exceptional and the focus continues to be on how informatics can impact patient care. We continue to make progress with the implementation of the patient/community facing abstracts, which will eventually accompany every JAMIA Open article. In the meantime, I ask that you consider the patient impact of the articles included in this issue, as well as across all of JAMIA Open. Alongside articles that provide descriptions on biomedical informatics and data science advances that directly impact patient care, I am delighted that this issue includes descriptions of innovations and perspectives for growing and supporting the workforce of biomedical informaticians and biomedical data scientists. Without a doubt, we are facing an acute national shortage of biomedical informaticians and biomedical data scientists who will be essential in advancing the development and implementation of innovations for advancing health care. Advancements in biomedicine and healthcare are never stagnant. They establish the foundation for future work essential for subsequent insights to enable better care along with deeper understandings of health and health care. Germane to this foundation are the data that underpin published studies. Through our partnership with DRYAD, the data from the majority of manuscripts published in JAMIA Open are made available. This not only supports the rigor and reproducibility tenets of contemporary science but also encourages openness for supporting community building. Success of a journal is quantified not just by how often its articles or its associated data are cited, but also how they are included into discussions across the various mechanisms of social media. In reading the articles from this and other issues of JAMIA Open, please take a moment to comment on your reflection through your favorite social media (with a link to the referenced article). As a new journal, we depend on social media platforms to “get the word out” about the exciting content. Each article has an accompanying “Altmetric” that quantifies the relative impact the published work has had across a range of media. Your sharing thoughts about JAMIA Open articles with your communities through social media will be reflected in the Altmetric scores, and furthermore help disseminate the exceptional work that has been published to date. It is still early days for us at JAMIA Open. I am grateful to the authors who have submitted their best work, and to the reviewers who have taken the time to provide their assessments. I am certain that you will enjoy this collection of fine articles, and I look forward to the opportunity to consider your submissions describing how informatics can be used to impact patients for a future issue.
Source: JAMIA Open
Author: Indra Neil Sarkar
Institution: Brown University
Language: English
Subfield: Health Information Management
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,762
OpenAlex ID: W2898793695