The New Role of Biomedical Informatics in the Age of Digital Medicine

Abstract

Challenges for BMI posed by the rise of technologically driven fields such as Digital Medicine are explored. New opportunities for BMI, in the context of two main avenues for biomedical and clinical research (participatory and precision medicine) are also emphasised. Several examples of current research illustrate that BMI plays a key role in the new area of Digital Medicine. Embracing these opportunities will allow academic groups in BMI to maintain their leadership, identify new research funding opportunities and design new educational programs to train the next generation of BMI scientists.

Health Information Systems – from Present to Future?

“…Health care and biomedical research in this new information age is affected in many ways (e.g. [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]). According to the World Health Organization, information and communication technologies for health are “recognised as one of the most rapidly growing areas in health today” [ 8 ].…”

Semantic Modeling for Exposomics with Exploratory Evaluation in Clinical Context

“…Given the simplified equation “phenotype = genotype × environment,” extensive research has focused on phenotyping [ 9 ] from electronic health records (EHRs). Likewise, we propose that it is equally important to investigate all exposome information available in EHRs, a task dubbed as “expotyping” [ 10 ]. Dr. Vertosick Jr's quote, “You ain't never the same when the air hits your brain” [ 11 ] easily explains the implication that any procedure, especially a major one like craniotomy (plus the complication of anesthetics), may have a lingering effect on one's health (e.g., postoperative cognitive dysfunction [ 12 ]).…”