Public Health Informatics and the Perioperative Physician: Looking to the Future

Area of Science:

• Public Health Informatics
• Anesthesiology
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• The role of informatics in public health has grown significantly.
• The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for high-quality, real-time data in healthcare decision-making.
• Perioperative and critical care services were significantly impacted by the pandemic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To underscore the importance of improved informatic frameworks for anesthesiologists.
• To address the knowledge gap in public health informatics (PHI) within the anesthesiology specialty.
• To explore the relevance of PHI to perioperative care and future intersections.

Main Methods:

• Review of the background and evolution of public health informatics.
• Analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on perioperative and critical care.
• Conceptualization of future intersections between anesthesiology and PHI.

Main Results:

• The COVID-19 pandemic revealed critical deficiencies in public health informatics infrastructure.
• Anesthesiologists often lack formal training in public health informatics.
• This knowledge gap limits the specialty's participation in public health-oriented clinical care and policy.

Conclusions:

• Anesthesiologists must advocate for and engage with improved informatic frameworks.
• Enhanced training in public health informatics is crucial for the specialty.
• Addressing these gaps will enable greater contribution to public health initiatives and policy.