Time is a critical dimension in medicine. The temporal sequence in which symptoms develop is often the key to correct diagnosis. Also, illnesses play out over time, and the response to treatment must be assessed as time passes. Thus, this textbook, by three scientists from Cyprus, Israel, and Italy, fills a valuable niche for readers interested in medical informatics.

Each chapter follows a similar format. First, a brief overview explains why the topic is important, describes the chapter’s structure, and lists keywords. Next, an introduction includes historical background. Then, any subtopics are covered in detail, with many real-life examples.

After an introductory chapter, chapters 2 through 8 include: “Temporal Modeling and Temporal Reasoning,” “Temporal Databases,” “Temporal Clinical Databases,” “Abstraction of Time-Oriented Clinical Data,” “Time in Clinical Diagnosis,” “Automated Support to Clinical Guidelines and Care Plans,” and “Displaying Time-Oriented Clinical Data and Knowledge.”

The extensive bibliography is largely historical, with most references more than 15 or 20 years old; however, there are also several current references from 2008 and 2009.

Although the book’s very broad sweep means that each individual topic receives limited space, the references point to sources for more information. The logical use of this book would be in courses on medical informatics; it is appropriate for readers who have both medical and informatics backgrounds.