Healthcare IT News - June 2008 - (Page 23)

www.HealthcareITNews.com June 2008 I Healthcare IT News 23 ADVOCACY AWARDS [continued from page 21] designed to help prevent medical errors while saving time, money and lives. Robert Kolodner, MD Dr. Kolodner serves as the nation's second National Coordinator for Health Information Technology; he is known as Health & Human Service Secretary Michael O. Leavitt's “go-to person” to make healthcare IT a reality. Using his invaluable experience in patient care, healthcare IT and government, Dr. Kolodner is responsible for overseeing the creation of a Nationwide Health Information Network, guiding the nationwide adoption of interoperable healthcare IT to reduce medical errors, improve quality and produce greater value in healthcare. Assemblyman Conaway is a leader in the Democratic Majority, serving as chairman of the Health & Human Services Committee and as a member of the Appropriations and Agriculture & Natural Resources Committees. New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine recently signed into law legislation that Assemblyman Conaway drafted to enhance the quality of healthcare delivered to all New Jersey residents through a healthcare IT system. The New Jersey Health Information Technology Promotion Act (A4044) will establish the state's first electronic medical records' infrastructure and create a Health Information Technology Commission to oversee the development, implementation and oversight of the program. Appointed by Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue in December 2005 as Georgia's Commissioner of Public Health, Dr. Medows leads an $11 billion agency. She is a member of the National Governors Association State Alliance for E-Health, where she serves on the Health Information Communication and Data Exchange Taskforce. Prior to her appointment, Dr. Medows served as the first chief medical officer for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Region IV Office, located in Atlanta. The state of New York has strived to align with the national vision for healthcare IT with the passage of its Health Care Efficiency and Affordability Law for New Yorkers Capital Grant Program. This program develops and invests in healthcare IT and a quality improvement infrastructure at the regional level; these efforts will support an interoperable state health information exchange. In addition, the New York State Department of Health and Health Research Inc., in collaboration with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, was recently awarded a $20 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to improve the state's accuracy, timeliness and completeness of public health surveillance and reporting. The information will be accessed and analyzed through a state-of-the-art HIE service, with patient confidentiality a top priority of this initiative. State of Tennessee WELCOME GOLD NEW CORPORATE MEMBER To learn more about the benefits of corporate membership, visit www.himss.org or contact HIMSS Senior Director of Business Development Kelly Laidler at klaidler@himss.org or 312-915-9285. Access e-Forms As a leading supplier of electronic forms solutions to the healthcare industry, Access provides a set of solutions for its client partners in order to solve complex and obtrusive documentation issues. www.accesseforms.com Assemblyman Herb Conaway, MD (D-NJ) Tennessee is the second state being recognized by HIMSS this year. In 2007, Gov. Phil Bredeson enacted legislation prohibiting state contracts for the development or purchase of healthcare IT with other states and federal agencies without such plans receiving initial approval from the Commissioner of Finance and Administration. Gov. Bredeson is committed to developing new care- and disease-management practices and making better use of healthcare IT. For example, the governor's Volunteer eHealth Initiative is one of five federally funded healthcare IT demonstration projects designed to lay out a national blueprint for improving the quality of healthcare while reducing costs. The 2008 Advocacy Award recipients join a distinguished list of past honorees, which includes: U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI); U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), HHS Secretary Leavitt; Colorado State Sen. Bob Hagedorn; Virginia Secretary of Technology Aneesh Chopra; Maryland Delegate Shane Pendergrass; Carolyn Clancy, MD, Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy (D-RI); Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the House and founder of the Center for Health Transformation; U.S. Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-CT); and former HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson. For more information on HIMSS Advocacy Awards, visit www.himss.org/ awards. I JHIM, the peer-reviewed journal of HIMSS, is seeking abstracts for its Winter 2009 topic: “Process Improvement.” JHIM is particularly interested in: • Research and case studies on process improvement tools in the healthcare setting, including Lean and Six Sigma; • Best practices and lessons learned in workflow redesign and results measurements; and • Solutions-based articles and papers on overcoming challenges, achieving employee buy-in, integration and training. Success Share Your Insights on Process Improvement stories are also acceptable. JHIM's primary audience includes healthcare professionals in hospitals, corporate systems, clinical practice groups, vendor organizations, consulting firms and government settings. Abstract proposals should not exceed 250 words. They should include a working title and a list of all potential authors and full contact information. Send your abstracts as e-mail attachments to Senior Editor Matt Schlossberg at mschlossberg@himss.org by July 14. I HIMSS makes donation to aid victims of earthquake in China HIMSS has joined the ranks of individuals and corporations that have been moved to help the victims of last month's earthquake in China. “The tragic earthquake that hit Sichuan last week has deeply saddened everyone in the region,” said Steven Yeo, vice president and executive director, HIMSS Asia Pacific, during AsiaPac08. “A disaster of this magnitude needs help from all corners of the world to provide assistance to the earthquake victims. HIMSS has donated $10,000 to the Hong Kong Red Cross relief to help alleviate the suffering of the people in Sichuan.” I Previous Recipients Rhonda Medows, MD AsiaPac 08 attendees visit one of the exhibits demonstrating innovative solutions aimed at improving healthcare delivery and connecting healthcare systems across Asia. State of New York AsiaPac08 [continued from page 21] Summit08, Advocacy Day and other events of National Health IT Week promote adoption of health IT N ational Health IT Week, a fully collaborative annual forum held this year June 9-13, brings together stakeholders from across the healthcare spectrum to promote the adoption of health IT as a means for improving healthcare efficiency, quality, cost-effectiveness and patient safety. HIMSS, one of many partner organizations of National Health IT Week, has a voice in the future of health IT by hosting events throughout the week. The premier IT leadership program in North America, HIMSS Summit08 offers a unique platform for collaboration, education, dialogue and solutions to strengthen the key strategic relationships between the C-Suite, providers and the consumers they serve. During the 7th Annual National Health IT Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill, health IT professionals help 'spread the word' about health IT on Capitol Hill through meetings with members of Congress, while exploring solutions at a technology showcase. Highlights of Summit08, Advocacy Day and other events held during National Health IT Week will be featured in the next issue of the HIMSS Insider. I facilitate better integration between different healthcare services, and Hong Kong is already seeing these benefits through the PPI-ePR sharing project,” said Dr. Ngai Tseung Cheung, chief medical information officer, Hong Kong Hospital Authority. “The HIMSS AsiaPac08 Conference and Exhibition provides a window on systems that could be used as part of Hong Kong's reforms and help to make it a leader in comprehensive patient record sharing,” added Dr. Cheung. The conference, with over 50 educational sessions, engaged attendees in thought-provoking discussions on critical industry issues, provided practical needs-based solutions through collaborative exchanges, and showcased more than 50 leading exhibitors with hands-on interoperability demonstrations. “HIMSS is the leading source for credible research in healthcare information technology and management systems,” said Mr. Yeo. Highlights of the conference included illuminating keynotes and thought leaders' sharing of high-level perspectives of industry trends, and the application and management of healthcare IT in the region. Keynote speakers included Tan Sri Dato' Dr. Abu Bakar Suleiman, president, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Dr. Andy Wiesenthal, associate executive director for Clinical Information Support for The Permanente Federation, USA. Other noteworthy events included the preconference program on May 20. The Physicians' and ICT Leadership Symposium and the Nursing Informatics Symposium featured tours to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital. During the Developing Countries Workshop, participants offered insights on healthcare IT advances in emerging nations within the Asia-Pacific region and examined common barriers to healthcare IT use in these countries. For more information, visit www.himssasiapac.org. I www.HealthcareITNews.com www.himss.org www.accesseforms.com www.himss.org/ www.himssasi apac.org

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