The health care computer user: "Where will we find the integrators?"

This paper assumes that the primary objective of the medical care system is patient welfare. To best accomplish this objective the medical specialties must communicate and be well coordinated. The organization and distribution of information, which is the domain of the medical information scientist, is of central importance. In practice, medical information scientists often influence reorganization of human institutions, and thereby become change agents. They are commonly consulted about problems crossing disciplinary lines and see trends that allow them to predict and guide future developments. Many information scientists also simultaneously fill a role in some other specialty so that they exert influence both from inside and from outside the medical practice structure. The medical information scientists described are in an excellent position to be professional integrators. Good integration like any art is predicated on appropriate attitudes and has basic skills that can be taught. This paper suggests that formal preparation to integrate the activities of the medical practice environment is a desirable adjunct to the traditional preparation of students of medical information science.