Dr. James in Top 25 Clinical Informaticists

Industry trends show an increased focus on sophisticated data systems to support clinicians in patient care.

Utah's Brent James, MD, is one of 10 national honorees to appear consecutively on Modern Healthcare's two lists of the Top 25 Clinical Informaticists. The 2011 roster has been recently released. Modern Healthcare is recognizing those who successfully employ data-driven improvement strategies and who lead others just starting out in the profession. Dr. James is the chief quality officer at Intermountain Healthcare.

Clinical informatics is increasingly viewed as a critical element of patient safety and quality. In September, the American Medical Informatics Association announced that, for the first time, clinical informatics would become a board-certified physician sub-specialty — alongside others such as medical toxicology and pediatric anesthesiology — with the first certifications slated for early 2013.

"It is entirely appropriate and timely to certify clinical informatics as a specialized area of training and expertise in an era when more and more clinicians are turning to data-driven, computer-assisted clinical decision support to provide care for their patients," said Nancy Lorenzi, board chair of AMIA, in a Sept. 22 news release.

Intermountain is widely known for its work developing and using computerized medical systems since the 1970s. Dr. James joined Intermountain Healthcare in 1986 and is recognized among the most influential in healthcare nationally, and his approach to healthcare quality and cost is transforming healthcare.

For more about the Top 25 Clinical Informaticists list, visit ModernHeatlhcare.com.