Jennie Lou, MD, MSc
Current Affiliation
Professor and Program Director, Biomedical Informatics Program, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Education
MD, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
MSc, Biomedical Science, McMaster University, Canada
BHSc, Health Science, McMaster University, Canada
How do I describe my work to those outside the field
I am an educator who trains the leaders who can bridge information technology and health care.
Years of experience:
I first started working a homegrown electronic medical record system in 1996 for a newly-developed traumatic brain injury unit.
Why Informatics?
I believe we can make a big difference in improving people’s health through the use of information technology. We can do more than just treat an individual patient. This field attracts people who have passion and are motivated to make a difference. I love working with those people. I can feel the energy and passion that each one of us brings to the transformation/movement, so we are making some significant contributions to improve the outcomes of today’s health care.
What are your ambitions? At the end of your career, what do you hope to have accomplished?
I want to be an effective mentor. Throughout my own career, I was very fortunate to have had several great mentors. They totally changed my way of thinking and my way of doing things scientifically and even in my personal life. They are my role models. I want to be one of them. If one of my students or junior faculty members tells me, “Oh, Dr. Lou, that day you totally changed the way I think,” that will be sufficient for me!
Who or what are your “key sources” in the informatics field?
Informatics is such a broad field, and I rely on a lot of sources. The Academic Forum of AMIA is a definite source and helps to keep me updated. I built the Biomedical Informatics Program at Nova Southeastern University. I think we have a great program, one of the best in the country. It is becoming challenging to keep up with all these sources of data and knowledge. I work with a very good group of people who are energized and passionate about the field. JAMIA, definitely, is a key source.
Articles that spotlight my research interest
Hyas, D, & Lou, J. (2015) Job satisfaction of healthcare IT permanent employees and consultants, Society for Advancement of Management Advanced Management Journal, 80(4), 12-18, 2015.
Co-author, iSelf-Change: Randomized Controlled Trial of an iPhone App Using an Evidence-Based Alcohol Intervention, 2013
Clauson , K.A., Polen, H. H., Lou, J. Q., Zapantis , A. & Thomson , W. (2009) . Evaluation of nursing-specific drug information PDA databases used as clinical decision support. International Journal of Medical Informatics, Volume 78, ssue 10, Pages 679-687
Fleisher , J. M., Lou, J.Q., & Farrell, M. (2008) . Relationship Between Physician Supply and Breast Cancer Survival: A Geographic Approach. Journal of Community Health 33(8):179-182
Lou, J. Q. (2006) Using Bioinformatics in the Exploration of Genetic Diversity. London, England: Henry Steward Talk.
Hobbies/Interests outside AMIA
Besides travelling, I like to play computer games. That’s my guilty pleasure. I play computer games with my daughter, who is 12, but I learn so much from game playing. We are working to integrate gaming into our medical school curriculum. I also see that as a direction in our future education including patient care.
AMIA is important to me because
It provides me with professional guidance and resources, and collegiality that I really appreciate.
I am involved with AMIA
I have been an active member of AMIA for more than a decade now. Our program is also one of the few original members of AMIA Academic Forum. I am Director of the AMIA-NSU 10x10 program, and I have also served on several different committees.
It may surprise people to know
I am also an occupational therapist.