Bemmel and Musen in their Handbook of medical informatics , among many authors, refer to "the different disciplines of medicine and health care"...
The difference between "health informatics" and "medical informatics" reflects this largely territorial (political) difference between disciplines. Whereas "medical informatics" is an attempt by clinicians to make IT in health care their sole preserve, "health informatics" appears to be a claim to the same territory by persons with broader (not necessarily clinical) backgrounds. Both camps claim to have a multi- or interdisciplinary approach.
MacDougall and Brittain equate "heath informatics" to "healthcare information management". One might therefore equate medical informatics to "medical information management". Here, "medical" may pertain to medical practitioners (physicians) only, or may include others with "clinical" skills (those who actually treat patients, such as nurses).
Another way of looking the difference is to consider skill mix. Silvertein [URL defunct] proclaims that a (medical) informaticist requires skills in the triad of medicine, management, and information technology. A healthcare informaticist by contrast might possess skills in management and information technology only, working in a healthcare environment but without any more than a lay knowledge of clinical medicine.
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