It is nice to be able to say “thanks” to those inside and outside the organization who champion nutrition!  This coming week the Academy will have this opportunity when they participate in the AMIASymposium in Chicago, IL as an organizational sponsor in the first everInformatics Week in Chicago  (October 30 to November 7, 2012.)

This event is the first of its kind in Chicago and highlights the rapidly growing importance of healthcare informatics to the region.  It coincides with the world’s premier scientific meeting for biomedical and health informatics, the AMIA Annual Symposium, being held in Chicago, November 3 -7. There are many Academy members and staff who have worked tirelessly to assure nutrition information is captured in the correct fashion so we can measure the impact that we have on nutrition care. In addition we have many non-members who support our efforts.  It just so happens this meeting is a chance where we can acknowledge and thank them. 

Here is a beginning list:

·         Stan Huff, MD (a leader in terminologies who has provided insight on how to manage food allergies in EHRs/Previous AMIA Session Panelist on Allergies led by Elaine Ayres, Chair NIC.)

·         Charles Jaffe, MD PhD (CEO of Health Level Seven, an Allergist and contributor to discussions on food allergies with Academy NIC.)

·         Jim Case, MS DVM PhD (Program Specialist at NLM who has collaborated on nutrition terminologies with Academy staff, Kay Howarter and NCPSL.)

·         Jim Cimino, MD (Chief, Laboratory for Informatics Development at NIH) who also has participated on the food allergy discussion.

·         Russell Leftwich, MD (CMIO, TN Office of eHealth, an Allergist, who co-leads with Elaine Ayres the HL7 Allergies and Intolerances WG)

I hope readers will fill in with additional stories of nutrition champions in informatics!