Evolving medical informatics: from diagnosis to prognosis

The application of computers to the medical field is not new; however, the leisurely rate of integration has left the medical field in the "dark ages" of technology. A brief overview of how computers and technology have been used in the medical field is necessary to understand medical computer science. The recent advances of the internet infrastructure and personal computing, combined with the ubiquitous nature of their application, have allowed everyday people to incorporate technology into their daily routine. Only a few have ventured into the ill-defined world of medical computer science, some with great success, others with hopeful failures. The purpose of this paper is to sustain the recent advances in medical computer science and to provide support for shifting the focus of medical technology from diagnosis towards patient prognosis.