How Should We Organize to Do Informatics ?

The continuing development of the field of medical informatics has raised new questions and placed before us new dilemmas. Spurred by the proliferation of information systems to support the broad missions of our institutions, and the evolution of these systems from luxuries to necessities, organizational issues have assumed increasing prominence. Among a dazzling array of organizational issues now before us is the tension between the long-standing academic role of informatics groups within medical centers and the ever-expanding service role. In the academic role, we seek the knowledge to create improved technology and to train the next generation of informatics researchers. In the service role, we seek to put existing technology, developed internally or purchased from vendors, to best use across the full scope of medical center activities.