BMJ Health & Care Informatics · Published 2026-06-01 · DOI 10.1136/bmjhci-2026-102101
Patrice Degoulet, Edward Hance Shortliffe, Christian Lovis, William Ed Hammond, Heimar de Fatima Marin, Yu-Chuan Jack Li, Otto Rienhoff, Brigitte Séroussi
The rise of digital health (DH) has sparked debates about its relationship with the long-established field of biomedical and health informatics (BMHI), with some questioning the need for new academic programmes in DH since much of the likely content is already covered in BMHI training programmes. At the International Medical Informatics Association panel, ‘Shaping the Future of Biomedical and Health Informatics in the Digital Health Era’ (MEDINFO 2025), only one-third of participants clearly distinguished the two fields, highlighting conceptual ambiguities and the influence of DH narratives. This article compiles the perspectives expressed by the panellists, all experienced BMHI scholars, presenting their distinct viewpoints on how the field can maintain its scientific identity while engaging with emerging DH initiatives.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
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Degoulet, P., Shortliffe, E., Lovis, C., et al. (2026). Clarifying the relationship between biomedical and health informatics and digital health: expert perspectives. BMJ Health & Care Informatics. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjhci-2026-102101