Edward Shultz, MD, MS, a pioneer in biomedical informatics, data science and IT architecture, died Nov. 30. He was 76.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Ed Shultz. He was a true pioneer whose vision and innovation transformed biomedical informatics and laid the foundation for so much of the work we do today,” said Peter Embí, MD, MS, professor and chair of Biomedical Informatics, senior vice president for Research and Innovation, and co-director of the AI Discovery and Vigilance to Accelerate Innovation and Clinical Excellence Center at VUMC. “His contributions to clinical systems, infrastructure and education have had a lasting impact not only here at Vanderbilt but across the entire field of informatics. Ed’s legacy will continue to inspire and guide us as we build upon his remarkable achievements,” Embi said.
“Ed Shultz’s visionary leadership in the Informatics Center was instrumental in pioneering the development of innovative clinical applications and robust core infrastructure,” said Neal Patel, MD, MPH, chief information officer for HealthIT at VUMC. “His dedication and expertise not only advanced the field of biomedical informatics but also significantly enhanced the quality of patient care and operational efficiency at VUMC.”
Dr. Shultz came to Vanderbilt in 1997, where he served as director of technology integration and later as chief technology officer of the Informatics Center. In the Informatics Center, he led the teams of software developers, integration specialists and information architects who helped create tools and capabilities that were key advancements for the clinical information systems developed at VUMC. He gained national recognition for his research, teaching and service as associate professor of Biomedical Informatics until his retirement in 2016.
Prior to joining Vanderbilt, Dr. Shultz established a robust career at Dartmouth–Hitchcock Medical Center. Beginning in 1984, he embarked on a lifelong journey following the new field of biomedical informatics while specializing in pathology. At Dartmouth, he created the Interactive Medical Record, the first hypermedia-based model of a clinical workstation. He was also an early proponent of telemedicine and created a home monitor for patients with cystic fibrosis in Minnesota and demonstrated the benefits of telehealth in the homes of patients with diabetes.
He served as director of the Dartmouth Medical School Training Program in Medical Informatics (sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Library of Medicine (NLM)) from 1989-1994 and director of the Dartmouth Program in Medical Information Science from 1988-1996. In informatics, Dr. Shultz chaired the American Medical Informatics Association’s (AMIA) Professional Specialty Program group from 1992-1993 and was elected to fellowship in the American College of Medical Informatics (ACMI) in 1992.
Dr. Shultz was recruited by Vanderbilt’s William Stead, MD, to join the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA) editorial board in 1995, and the leadership team of VUMC’s Informatics Center in 1996.
“In the 1990s, Dr. Shultz was one of a handful of individuals across the country who were experts in basic computer and decision sciences and able to translate science into tools that could be used in education and practice,” said Stead, McKesson Foundation Professor in the Department of Biomedical Informatics and professor of Medicine at VUMC.
Dr. Shultz received a Bachelor of Science in mathematics at the University of Oregon in 1975 and his medical degree at Yale University Medical School in 1979. He then completed a clinical pathology internship at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis and a residency program in medical informatics at the University of Minnesota in 1984, during which he also obtained a master’s degree in mathematical modeling. He accumulated more than $17 million in grant funding and more than 900 publication citations.
“Ned,” as his closest family and friends called him, was born on Jan. 4, 1948, and was raised in Bethesda, Maryland. He developed a love for traveling and culture following his military service in Vietnam, and frequently traversed across the globe to spend time in Japan, Italy and more. He was also a man of many intellectual and physical talents — he was known to build radios, run marathons, write and play music (most notably as the bass player with the band Soul Incision), dance and more.
Dr. Shultz is survived by his wife of 55 years, Patty; his siblings Fred, Almarie, Susan, Nancy and Robbie; his three living children, Rainbow, Teddy and Forest; and grandchildren Kofi, Otto, Juna and Bert. Read more about the life of Edward Shultz here.
