In This Issue:
 NYeC Digital Health Conference on 12/1 & 12/2 in NYC
CPHIMS Training Opportunity December 2nd in NYC
The HIMSS Board of Directors and Nominating Committee election is open through November 15, 2011
Register Now for HIMSS12
HIMSS New York State Student Informatics Conference-September 23, 2011
HIE and the Small Provider: Joseph Wagner's Perspective
NYeC Digital Health Conference on 12/1 & 12/2 in NYC
HIMSS NY Members: Receive a 50% Registration Discount. Use code PARTNER11.
Be Part of the Healthcare Revolution
New York eHealth Collaborative’s Digital Health Conference will bring together hundreds of health information technology (HIT) stakeholders and decision makers from across the region including providers of all types, the public sector, private industry, health plans, hospital administration, and others. The event will showcase the latest technologies, share best practices, inspire collaboration, and generally support the advancement of healthcare innovation.
Keynote Speakers- Todd Park, Chief Technology Officer, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
- T.R. Reid, Best-selling author and healthcare journalist, The Washington Post, PBS
Conference Highlights- Learn from industry thought-leaders through a series of lectures, panels, demonstrations and other breakout sessions in each of the following tracks:
- Innovations in the Inpatient Setting
- Advances in the Delivery of Primary Care
- Chronic Care Management
- Health & Wellness
- Programming features an impressive array of health IT experts from a number of different backgrounds, including private sector innovators, government agencies, providers of all types, and hospital IT leadership
- Network with hundreds of healthcare stakeholders and decision-makers from across the region
- Connect with private and public sector innovators showcasing the latest healthcare technologies and innovations
To view the full program and to register, visit www.digitalhealthconference.com
REGISTER NOW!
CPHIMS Training Opportunity December 2nd in NYC
A CPHIMS training class will be held on December 2 in NYC
Where:- Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers
- 60 Chelsea Piers #300 at 21st Street
- Cunard Suite, 2nd Floor
- New York, NY
Session: 9 AM – 2 PM
Maximum attendees: 16 people -- “First Come, First Served”
Registration Fee: $200 (includes materials and lunch)
Click here to register
The HIMSS Board of Directors and Nominating Committee election is open through November 15, 2011
The HIMSS Board of Directors and Nominating Committee election is open through November 15, 2011 11:59 PM Central Time, USA. To cast your vote, please login using the unique credentials the HIMSS Election Coordinator sent via e-mail.
Go to: https://www.directvote.net/HIMSS/
Candidate information is available on the on-line ballot.
For technical support (available Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Central Time USA excluding holidays) call 952-974-2339 or mailto:support@directvote.net
For other questions, call 312-915-9268 or mgallagher@himss.org
Register Now for HIMSS12
The HIMSS12 conference is the destination for thousands of IT professionals, clinicians and healthcare executives from around the world who are seeking information and making decisions on how to move forward at this critical juncture.
Meaningful use. ICD-10/HIPAA 5010. New mandates. HIMSS12 can help you meet these and other goals while maintaining your organization's commitment toward the unsurpassed quality of patient care. Assess your options, learn from the efforts of others, experience cutting-edge demos and solutions and develop the most effective and efficient path for your organization.
HIMSS12 is the only industry conference that gives you an exclusive vantage point and unique perspective on how far we've come in advancing HIT, how far we can go and the many ways in which we can get there.
Take advantage of early rates! Register today
Learn more about HIMSS12. Visit www.himssconference.org today.
HIMSS New York State Student Informatics Conference-September 23, 2011
Conference Summary
By Marsha Vinson, MMI ’13, Downstate Medical Center
The all-day HIMSS Student Informatics Conference held at SUNY Downstate on Friday, September 23, 2011 provided students of Informatics with a comprehensive overview of the breadth of the field, current trends, career strategies, and the future of the Informatics field. Whether student participants were able to attend the entire day conference or individual sessions, they were provided with a unique opportunity to hear the insights of leading Informatics professionals. Note that the speaker presentations are posted on the NYS HIMSS site.
Dr. Abha Agrawal, Medical Director at Kings County Hospital Center and Commissioner, Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology, was the Keynote Speaker. She described how HIT is striving to achieve better health and care for patients at a lower cost. Interweaved in her presentation was the theme that HIT has the potential to bridge the gap (Crossing The Quality Chasm) between clinicians and IT. Dr. Agrawal stressed that HIT is about obtaining the right amount of data from/to the right people at the right time. Dr. Agrawal utilized the issue of medication safety as an example of how HIT can improve care and assure that patient information is delivered in a timely and efficient fashion. Dr. Agrawal explained that the complexities of the human element in systems interface typically produces too much information.
Dr. Agrawal’s comments give the Informatics student clarity and direction in pursuing applicable education and career choices within the field. Dr. Agrawal detailed the usability of electronic health records (EHR). Proper user interface must be achieved. She cited a study that reflected increased mortality of patients when user interface with EHR was improperly utilized. To avoid the negative impact of EHR, she explained that the goals of consistency and simplicity must always be considered: When I need, What I need, and Nothing More! Obviously, being user friendly is essential. Other themes stressed included open and transparent reporting and the EHR integration into the culture of the medical organization. Dr. Agrawal concluded her presentation with a quote from Albert Einstein: “Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.
The morning panel members were all graduates of Health Informatics programs. The panel members not only detailed their current roles but also gave personal insights concerning employment searches and typical positions in HIT. For example, a Clinical Specialist is a position supporting physicians and other clinicians. A Clinical Specialist is responsible for problem solving, troubleshooting, identifying applications, training, and configuration. On the other end of the spectrum are consulting positions and/or being employed by vendors. The latter roles emphasize assessing the user requirements including hardware capacity, training, and bringing operations up-to-date. Challenges outlined included persuading users to move from paper to electronic records management, consensus building, implementation of standards, and the resulting complexities in achieving theses goals. All panel members emphasized the goal of satisfying the end user of a clinical information system (and current frustrations in achieving this goal!).
Panel members agreed that recent Informatics graduates might initially seek Business Analyst and Trainer positions especially if they did not come from an IT background. These positions require possessing an eye/ear for detail and emphasize documentation, analysis, and processing information. All panel members stressed the importance of a solid resume, developing a marketing strategy to discover opportunities, interviewing as much as possible to develop optimum interviewing skills, and NOT to be intimidated by the requirements and experience listed in advertised employment openings. Joining professional associations (reasonable student memberships are available) and attending conferences (student rates available) such as the HIMSS Student Conference are also excellent means of familiarizing oneself with careers in Informatics. In the interim, the panel members suggest that students seek volunteer and internship opportunities to maximize their experience. It was strongly suggested to start one’s employment search NOW. Identifying volunteer and internship roles in patient support and workflow functions would prove to be very helpful.
Future roles in Informatics and what’s next were also discussed by the panel in terms of their own career paths and in the HIT field in general. It was agreed by panel members that the implementation stage is currently taking place. Soon, it will be necessary to identify patterns in how, when, where data is captured in the process. Panel members seek to be decision makers in the future – responsible for streamlining the EHR function. Becoming a Director of Information Technology or a Chief Information Officer is an achievable career goal for these panel members.
Two well-known leaders in Informatics gave unique perspectives during the afternoon session. Dr. Salvatore Volpe is former President, HIMSS New York Chapter, 2009-2011 and a key figure in HIT with numerous professional leadership roles. What makes Dr. Volpe’s perspective quite interesting is his active role as a sole practitioner in Staten Island with a medical practice spanning Pediatrics to Geriatrics. Dr. Volpe described the frustrations of the sole practitioner with limited budget and staff and time management constrictions in transforming an office into an EHR environment. Dr. Volpe emphasized the clinical benefits of EHR for the sole practitioner including elimination of the ambiguities of handwriting when generating prescriptions – leading to elimination of medication errors. Supplies, storage, chart creation, transcription, and electronic submission of prescriptions to pharmacies are also functions positively supported by EHR in terms of significant cost savings and dramatic increase in office efficiency. Dr. Volpe outlined the benefits in patient safety through EHR – for example, rapid and timely identification of potential drug interactions through online research. Dr. Volpe discussed the concept of patient centered medical home (PCMH) and how EHR enhances coordination of care between the primary care doctor, the patient, family, and larger health care community (including nursing, dentistry, and hospitals). For example, patients traveling out-of-state can enable access to their prior medical visits and laboratory results. Dr. Volpe also encouraged attendance at national HIMSS conferences (Las Vegas February 2012-$120 for students).
Several speakers at the HIMSS conference cited the work and mentoring of Dr. Ken Ong, a recognized leader in Medical Informatics and also an afternoon presenter at the conference. Dr. Ong stressed the online resources of the HIMSS site for career development including Job Mine and Career Resources. 50,000 health care workers are required to make EHR implementation successful. HIMSS has identified the top 10 states and top 100 companies for Health Care Informatics positions. The ONC (Office of National Coordinator of Health Care Technology) site describes training programs and opportunities. Dr. Ong believes the government-supported Regional Extension Centers are sources of employment now and in the future. Dr. Ong urged students to examine the many aspects of pursuing a career in Informatics: future outlook, personal career vision, skills and training, geographical location and salary requirements, and potential travel obligations. Dr. Ong stressed the importance of utilizing web resources including developing a LinkedIn profile. He emphasized becoming a skilled interviewer (research potential companies) and being marketable.
Nadia Sultana, an expert in Nursing Informatics, gave conference participants an overview and perspective not only advantageous for nurses obtaining Informatics education but also significant for all Informatics students. Ms. Sultana stressed the collaborative and interdisciplinary aspects of Informatics as well as the art of managing and communicating data, which requires knowledge and wisdom. Ms. Sultana summarized the pertinent trends in technology including data capture/mobile devices and data access. She emphasized the interaction between our aging population and Informatics. How will clinicians, caregivers, families, and patients communicate with each other? The responsibilities of the Nursing profession described by Ms. Sultana pertain to all areas impacted by Informatics: planning and prioritizing, integrating technology, redesigning workflow, and evaluating data. Ms. Sultana discussed the concepts of the E-patient and participatory medicine including patient empowerment, self- and multiple monitoring, and resulting quality improvements in care. Ms. Sultana also identified the potential negatives of Informatics involving the use of experts and deciphering between medical advice and medical information.
The presentation on Advances in Informatics Education stressed the importance of team collaboration and working with different fields. The afternoon panel featured professionals examining the obstacles to rapid adaptation to EHR. Issues include lack of personnel to successfully implement change, assuring the community understands the EHR potential and outcome (return on investment), and standardization of the EHR process (vendor participation through implementation). The panel expressed frustration that hospital personnel are often not familiar with state-of-art terminology including Meaningful Use. The necessity for future studies of EHR development in urban areas and on the national level was stressed. The panel emphasized the growth in the field and career potential for students. Students were encouraged by panel members to seek internships with vendors and become familiar with the Regional Extension Center website. Student awareness now and post-graduation including continuing education were emphasized. Students were urged to be vigilant and open to opportunity and change including familiarization with professional journals and current software/hardware. Practical advice included setting goals, networking, personally seeking out HIMSS leaders, and flexibility in adapting to trends, tailoring resumes for different scenarios, and creating business cards.
The HIMSS Student Informatics Conference was an outstanding learning opportunity and confidence builder for students. Speakers provided up-to-the-minute information on the direction of Informatics and hands-on suggestions regarding career development. All attendees and those who were unable to attend the meeting should review the speaker presentations featured online (NYS HIMSS website).
HIE and the Small Provider: Joseph Wagner's Perspective
By Joseph Wagner, MPA, FHIMSS
What does health information exchange (HIE) mean to the small provider practice? Quite frankly, many may not even know the answer themselves. This exacerbates an already complicated solution that requires funding, support, standards and incentives. This problem of ‘not knowing’ is quite large as well. According to the Center for Health Care Strategies,60 percent of physicians (either self employed or in physician-owned groups) work in practices with four or fewer providers, and roughly 65 percent of all physician office visits occur in practices of this size.1
So how can providers get involved in an HIE? First, there is the learning process. We know there is a multitude of information on this topic on the internet. So much information that it becomes too much and too complicated to sift through. Ideally, there would be a single point of reference that provides the required information in an easy-to-read and easy-to-understand format. While there are many places to find this information, each with varying degrees of quality and readability, finding them can be difficult. Some good examples can be found on HIMSS HIE and HIMSS Ambulatory Practice IS webpages, and ONC of Health IT website.
Second, I would look to the large healthcare systems and local Departments of Health (DOH) in the area. Chances are they have begun the process of bringing in their practices in the local HIE. You may or may not be part of this particular system; however, they can provide valuable information on how they are bringing in smaller practices. They should also be well-versed on the clinical and financial benefits of being part of an HIE.
Lastly, I would speak to some of the practices in the area that are already participating in an HIE. If there are none in the area, you can look to the larger cities. Here are some good examples:- 70 percent of Wisconsin physicians participate in local exchanges2
- 75 percent of ambulatory physicians in New Hampshire use hospital-based HIEs3
- There are a total of active 234 HIEs in the country (73 of which are operational)4
How will HIE ultimately benefit the small provider practice? We know that there are clinical quality improvements by having an electronic health record (EHR), a prerequisite of participating in an HIE, but it can be shown that there are financial gains that come along with this as well. At a recent New York State HIMSS meeting, Salvatore Volpe, MD, FAAP, FACP, CHCQM, presented the following data about his practice:
Examples of Cost Savings – Two-physician Practice5
This specific example may not be indicative of all small provider practices, but it clearly illustrates the key areas for savings and just how much this practice has been saving since they moved to an EHR. Couple this with the incentives being provided by the federal government and it seems to be an easy financial decision.
The decision to move towards an EHR is not going to be an option for very long. Small provider practices will have to take the time and effort to begin the process of converting their paper records and joining an HIE. Understanding what is involved and how these changes will impact you will is the first step in this process. Fully understanding the clinical and financial benefits will better prepare the practice for this coming change.
References- Center for Health Care Strategies Inc. Technical Assistance Brief July 2010
- Physicians Practice, Can a State HIE Get You Connected? Vol 21 No 4
- IBID
- ehealthinitiative.org, Health Information Exchange
- HIMSS NYS/SUNY Downstate Student Informatics Conference, Salvatore Volpe, MD, FAAP, FACP, CHCQM, Sept. 23, 2011
Reprinted from HIMSS News
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