Informatics for One Health

It is my great pleasure to present the 2023 Yearbook on Medical Informatics with a focus on “Informatics for One Health”. This edition aims to serve as a beacon, guiding the integration of technology, data, and interdisciplinary collaboration for improving global health and well-being.

The Integrated Vision of One Health

One Health recognizes the interconnectedness of human, society and environment and its impact to health. Our era has magnified the importance of this approach, as global challenges such as pandemics, climate change, and environmental degradation intersect with public health concerns. In this context, medical informatics has a transformative role to play.

The Need for Green and Responsible Medical Informatics

I echo Benis and Tamburis' call for responsible and green informatics. As we strive for digital transformation in healthcare, we must be keenly aware of our ethical and environmental responsibilities. Optimizing data storage, minimizing energy use, and encouraging sustainable practices are not optional; they are imperative.

Collaborative Contributions

This Yearbook stands as a testament to collaboration across sectors and specialties. The wide-ranging contributions address a myriad of topics—from participatory health informatics and nursing contributions to technology assessment, human factors, and organizational issues. Notably, there is an increasing focus on integrating environmental factors in health informatics, as emphasized by the work of our Student & Emerging Professionals group.

Learning from the Pandemic

The pandemic experience has further highlighted the need for integrated management systems, as outlined by Jonnagaddala and team. With COVID-19 pushing the medical and public health systems to their limits, our reliance on digital health solutions has increased. Lessons learned should shape our roadmap for an integrated One Health model.

Bioinformatics, Clinical Informatics, and Beyond

Bioinformatics contributions, such as those by Cooper and Benton, accentuate the important dialogue between medical informatics and microbiomics. As cancer informatics ventures into data sharing and federated learning, the possibility of accelerating diagnosis and treatment becomes even more tangible.

The Future is Integrated and Inclusive

Looking ahead, our pursuit should be an integrative, data-driven approach that is ethical, sustainable, and socially responsible. I commend Douthit et al. for shedding light on the role of clinical decision support in reducing health disparities. We must strive to bridge the digital divide to make healthcare more equitable and inclusive.

In Conclusion

As we navigate through unprecedented challenges, medical informatics is more vital than ever. Whether it is in telehealth solutions, decision support in clinical settings, or generative large language modeling, our field is setting the stage for advancements that will benefit not just individual health, but the health of our planet and all its inhabitants.

I would like to thank the editorial team, authors, reviewers, and all who have contributed to this Yearbook. Your collective wisdom enriches our common pursuit of One Health, via the power of informatics.

Thank you, and here's to a healthier, more integrated world.

Kindest regards,

Jack Yuchuan Li

President, IMIA, 2021-23

P.S. This article is finalized with the help of chatGPT4.

Die Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht.

Publikationsverlauf

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
26. Dezember 2023