Transforming health and well-being through publishing computable biomedical knowledge (CBK)

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Informatics
• Health Systems Science
• Software Engineering

Background:

• Computable biomedical knowledge artifacts (CBKs) are software tools vital for advancing learning health systems.
• Widespread adoption of CBKs is hindered by challenges in verification, documentation, and dissemination.
• The Learning Health Systems journal established a dedicated track for publishing CBKs to address these limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate a new peer-review track for CBKs within the Learning Health Systems journal.
• To foster the development, verification, and dissemination of high-quality CBKs.
• To encourage broader engagement with CBKs in biomedical research and learning health systems.

Main Methods:

• A new peer-review track was established in the Learning Health Systems journal for publishing CBKs.
• Manuscripts included reports of functioning CBKs and discussions on methodological, policy, deployment, and platform issues.
• The track facilitates a structured approach to the validation and publication of CBKs.

Main Results:

• The special issue features eight manuscripts, with four presenting functional CBKs and four addressing ecosystem-related challenges.
• The peer-review process aims to enhance the reproducibility, reusability, and trustworthiness of biomedical software.
• This initiative highlights the potential of CBKs to drive innovation in learning health systems.

Conclusions:

• The CBK track provides a vital channel for the peer-reviewed publication of computable biomedical knowledge artifacts.
• Improved verification and dissemination through this track are expected to accelerate the integration of CBKs into learning health systems.
• This effort encourages scientists to embrace CBKs as a new form of scientific discourse and tool for advancing healthcare.