Foundations of Clinical Informatics for Generalists: Exploring the History, Core Concepts, and Current State of Informatics in Healthcare.

The computerization of medical records began in the early 1960s and progressed steadily until federal mandates in the early 2000s triggered rapid electronic health record (EHR) adoption. While technically successful, these systems lacked the cultural and educational integration necessary for effective clinical workflows, underscoring the need for the medical specialty of clinical informatics. Its core domains include health information systems, data management and analytics, clinical decision support, interoperability and health information exchange, and privacy and security. The field continues to expand rapidly as EHRs mature and new artificial intelligence modalities emerge.