Board certified physicians in health informatics a European precedent for professional recognition

To document the official recognition of a new specialty in health informatics in one European country, because a similar legal process may lead to professional equivalence for physicians in all member countries of the European Union and elsewhere.

In Belgium, a Ministerial Decree in 2001 established criteria for the certification of Physician Specialist in Health Data Management. Such recognition of a new competence is a natural complement to a University Master's degree and can have a major influence on the salary scale and on professional recognition and development in public and private sectors.

Teaching and training programmes in Belgium were adapted according to the Decree. Ninety-seven physicians were certified in the French community and 72 in the Flemish community between 2002 and 2009, with a prerequisite of this title for engagement in several official and private positions, and a salary increase.

In other countries, recognition of a specific competence in health informatics remains, at best, a voluntary registration process and University programs vary widely. The implications of this Decree, with recognition of Physician Specialist in Health Data Management as a special competence, rather than a medical specialty, are discussed. The extension of such recognition to health professions other than physicians is not yet envisaged.

Although the title "Physician Specialist in Health Data Management" may appear rather old fashioned, recognition of this competence in a European Union country is a first step to help its diffusion to other countries.