Speaking at the opening session of the AMIA 2018 Clinical Informatics Conference in Scottsdale, Ariz., AMIA CEO Doug Fridsma, M.D., Ph.D., announced on May 9 the establishment of the Fellow of AMIA (FAMIA) professional recognition program.
The new program is meant to recognize applied informatics professionals who directly impact and improve health care, biomedical research, public health and personal health through the practice of informatics. It will confer a merit-based credential to applied informatics professionals who have (1) obtained a high-level of education; (2) committed a certain amount of time to their practice; (3) contributed meaningfully to the field of applied informatics; and (4) demonstrated a sustained commitment to AMIA.
“Across a spectrum of professions, including nurses, pharmacists, epidemiologists, physicians, and clinical researchers, the application and implementation of informatics has become an essential component of health and of care,” said Fridsma in a prepared statement. “Leadership titles such as, Chief Medical Information Officer, Chief Nursing Informatics Officer, Clinical Research Informatics Officer, and Chief Health Informatics Officers, underscore the emerging importance of applied informatics.”
For nearly three decades, AMIA has led the recognition of individuals making high-impact contributions to the broad field of informatics through its partner organization, the American College of Medical Informatics (ACMI). ACMI Fellows are recognized for their distinguished careers and scientific contributions to the field. FAMIA provides a complementary recognition program for individuals whose impact concerns the implementation and use of informatics, and whose contributions are evident in the settings in which they work.
In January 2018, the AMIA board of directors established an advisory group to develop eligibility criteria for members who apply informatics skills and knowledge within their professional setting, who have demonstrated professional achievement and leadership, and who have a sustained commitment to the betterment of AMIA. The resulting eligibility criteria and recognition program will confer FAMIA status to all AMIA members who qualify.
AMIA led the development of the ABMS-recognized Subspecialty Certification of Clinical Informatics, and is developing an Advanced Health Informatics Certification (AHIC) program, upon which the FAMIA program will rely. Eligibility will span seven core areas including:
1. Education;
2. Certification;
3. Applied Informatics Experience;
4. Peer Recommendation;
5. AMIA Membership;
6. AMIA Engagement; and
7. Future Commitment to the Field
AMIA plans to introduce its first class of Fellows at the AMIA 2018 Annual Symposium in November in San Francisco, and the organization expects to begin accepting FAMIA applications by July. AMIA will establish a Review Committee and a Governance Body to oversee the Recognition Program’s maintenance and updates.
