Dr. William Francis Bria II, an internationally respected leader in medical informatics and a distinguished Pulmonary and Critical Care physician, passed away on January 28, 2026 at the age of 74 in Clearwater Florida.

Dr. Bria brought a clinician’s rigor, ethical grounding, and deep concern for patient safety to every leadership role he held. Dr. Bria served as Chairman of the Board of the Association of Medical Directors of Information Systems (AMDIS) and is widely regarded as one of the early and most influential pioneers in applied medical informatics.

Over a 16-year period at the University of Michigan, he served as Medical Director of Clinical Information Systems and created the first internet-based electronic medical record, CareWeb.  During this time he continued his medical practice as Director of the Critical Care Medical Unit, where he combined frontline clinical care with systems-level innovation.

Dr. Bria later became the Chief Medical Information Officer for the 22-hospital Shriners Hospitals for Children system. Throughout this time, he continued teaching as an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan and the University of  South Florida.

Dr. Bria authored numerous articles and books on the subject of medical informatics including The CMIO Survival Guide (HIMSS) and Digital Communication in Medical Practice, texts that continue to guide physician leaders navigating the complex intersection of medicine, technology, and patient safety. In recognition of his impact, he was named one of the Most Influential 50 Physician Executives in Healthcare in 2013.

Dr. Bria’s expertise was sought at the highest levels of policy and governance. He served as a consultant to the Institute of Medicine on the Computerized Patient Record, advised the United States Congress on the application of information technology in medical practice, and acted as an advisor to the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR). He lectured extensively across the United States and internationally, shaping the global conversation around clinical information systems and digital transformation in healthcare.

A Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians, Dr. Bria was known not only for his intellectual leadership, but also for his integrity, generosity, and unwavering commitment to patient-centered care. Colleagues remember him as a thoughtful consensus-builder, a tireless advocate for safety and quality, and a physician who never lost sight of the human beings behind the data.

Dr. Bria was born in Greenwich Connecticut, son of Dr. William, F. Bria Sr. and the noted artist Dorothy T. DiCicco-Bria  He graduated from Georgetown University undergraduate and medical school and completed his fellowship in pulmonary medicine at Harvard-Massachusetts General Hospital.  He is survived by his loving partner of 10 years Mary Russo Berglund, his sons William F. Bria III, James D. Bria, and his sister, Dr. Rosemarie D. Bria-Levine.

His legacy lives on in the systems he helped design, the policies he influenced, the physicians he mentored, and the countless patients whose care was made safer through his work. His contributions permanently shaped the field of medical informatics and set standards that continue to guide healthcare organizations worldwide.