The International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics (IAHSI): 2020 Report

Summary

Objectives: To summarize the major activities of the International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics (IAHSI) in the 2020 time period and to welcome its 2020 Class of Fellows.

Method: Report from the members of the Academy’s Board.

Results: Due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, both Plenary meetings in 2020 had to be organized as virtual meetings. Scientific discussions, focusing on mobilizing computable biomedical knowledge and on data standards and interoperability formed major parts of these meetings. A statement on the use of informatics in pandemic situations was elaborated and sent to the World Health Organization. A panel on data standards and interoperability started its work. 34 Fellows were welcomed in the 2020 Class of Fellows so that the Academy now consists of 179 members.

Conclusions: There was a shift from supporting to strategic activities in the Academy’s work. After having achieved organizational stability, the Academy can now focus on its strategic work and so on its main objective.

Keywords

Biomedical and health informatics - Medical informatics - Health informatics - Academy of Sciences - International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics - International Medical Informatics Association

• References

• 1 International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics (IAHSI) [cited 2020 Oct 28]. Available from: https://imia-medinfo.org/wp/iahsi/
• 2 International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) [cited 2020 Oct 28]. Available from: https://imia-medinfo.org
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• 6 Bylaws of the International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics (IAHSI). Approved by the Academy Plenary on August 25, 2019, and by the IMIA General Assembly on August 26, 2019 [cited 2020 Oct 28]. Available from: https://imia-medinfo.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IAHSI-Bylaws-approved-August-2019.pdf
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• 8 Statement from the International Academy for Health Sciences Informatics (IAHSI), the Academy of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA), to the Director General of the WHO on the Use of Informatics in Pandemic Situations. March 25, 2020 [cited 2020 Oct 28]. Available from: https://imia-medinfo.org/wp/statement-from-the-international-academy-for-health-sciences-informatics-iahsi-the-academy-of-the-international-medical-informatics-association-imia-to-the-director-general-of-the-who-on-the-use/
• 9 AHSI Nomination Process for New Fellows [cited 2020 Oct 28]. Available from: https://imia-medinfo.org/wp/iahsi-nomination-process-for-new-fellows/
• 10 IAHSI Announces the 2020 Class of Fellows. IMIA announcement on August 17, 2020 [cited 2020 Oct 28]. Available from: https://imia-medinfo.org/wp/iahsi-announces-the-2020-class-of-fellows/