Howard Leslie Bleich (1934 – 2021) was an American nephrologist, distinguished professor, and pioneer in the field of medical informatics.
In the late 1960s, he developed an "Acid-Base Therapy Advisor," a system that not only suggested diagnoses but also recommended treatment.
[8][9] In 1970, Bleich, with the support of Howard Hiatt, recruited Warner Slack to co-found the "Division of Computer Medicine".
[10][11] In 1977, Bleich and Slack computerized medical records over a period of 5 years at Boston’s Beth Israel Hospital.
In addition to computerizing all clinical and ancillary functions within the hospital, the BWH system included a full suite of financial applications.