Informatics: a physician's view

From bedside to boardroom, physicians are coming on-line to use automated information systems. Physicians are increasingly able to scroll through computer screens to scan images and lab summaries. But they will obtain their most critical data by listening to, observing, and examining patients. Practitioners will be driven in two diagnostic realms by informatics: acute care and chronic care. Training of both internists and surgeons will be enhanced. Nurses will be able to take on more of doctors' work. Telemedicine may eventually reduce patient visits to the office and doctors' trips to the emergency department. Health care system management is strengthened and network message traffic smoothed by informatics, but lack of trust will slow acceptance.