An informatics infrastructure is essential for evidence-based practice

The contention of the author is that an informatics infrastructure is essen tial for evidenced-based practice. Five building blocks of an informatics i nfrastructure for evidence-based practice are proposed: 1) standardized ter minologies and structures, 2) digital sources of evidence, 3) standards tha t facilitate health care data exchange among heterogeneous systems, 4) info rmatics processes that support the acquisition and application of evidence to a specific clinical situation, and 5) informatics competencies. Selected examples illustrate how each of these building blocks supports the applica tion of evidence to practice and the building of evidence from practice. Al though a number of major challenges remain, medical informatics can provide solutions that have the potential to decrease unintended variation in prac tice and health care errors.