Healthcare IT News - November 2007 - (Page 8) 8 Healthcare IT News ■ November 2007 industry news www.HealthcareITNews.com NHIN contracts awarded to nine data exchanges By BeRnIe MonegaIn, Editor – Contracts totaling $22.5 million have been awarded to nine health information exchanges to begin trial implementations of the Nationwide Health Information Network, or NHIN. Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt named the winning HIEs last month. They are: ■ CareSpark – Tricities region of Eastern Tennessee and SouthWAshinGton western Virginia; ■ Delaware Health Information Network – Delaware; ■ In d i a n a Un i v e r s i ty – Indianapolis metroplex; ■ Long Beach Network for Health – Long Beach and Los Angeles, California; ■ Lovelace Clinic Foundation – New Mexico; ■ MedVirginia – Central Virginia; ■ New Yo r k eHealth Collaborative – New York; ■ North Carolina Healthcare Information and Communications Alliance – North Carolina; and ■ West Virginia Health Information Network – West Virginia. The contracts call for the creation of a secure foundation for basic health information exchange between select HIEs upon which more complex functions will be possible over time. The work is intended to move the nation toward President Bush’s goal of most Americans having Michael Leavitt access to secure electronic health records by 2014. “These trial implementations are taking place in communities across America that are leading the way to healthcare transformation using secure, interoperable health information technology,” Leavitt said. “Trial implementations of the Nationwide Health Information Network will bring us steps closer to a health IT system that will improve quality of care, increase efficiencies in healthcare and improve disease prevention.” ■ More at HealthcareITnews.com e Connect: NHIN 1107 ● sTanDaRDs Continued from page 6 information technology would be lower cost and improved patient care,” Gordon said. “Regardless of its acknowledged benefits, the use of IT by the healthcare community remains low and lags far behind other segments of our economy such as financial services, banking and manufacturing,” he said. “This bill aims to remedy that problem.” “In a world of electronic information these issues can only be resolved through the development of technical standards. These standards currently do not exist in any comprehensive form,” added Gordon. “To me, NIST is the obvious federal agency to promote the development of these standards. New name. New colors. Same great… Products. Service. People. Workflow. Commitment. Kodak’s Health Group is now Carestream Health, Inc. We’re the same team with the same drive to make your work flow. To learn more, contact your Carestream Health representative. Call 1-877-865-6325. Kodak DirectView DR and CR Systems Kodak Point-of-Care CR Systems Kodak Carestream Radiology Solutions (RIS/PACS) Kodak Carestream Information Management Solutions Kodak Digital Mammography Solutions Kodak DryView Laser Imagers “we are concerned how this bill is gaining momentum so quickly.” – Jason Barnes NIST already has a proven track record in this type of work.” At a September 26 hearing before the committee, Justin Barnes, vice president at Greenway Medical Technologies, urged the committee to ensure that the work of HITSP would not be lost. The two panels should work together, he said. “NIST already plays an important role in public and private sector collaborations such as Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise and the Health Information Technology Standards Panel and that role should be maintained,” Barnes said. “In addition, NIST should be encouraged to work collaboratively to make these initiatives even more effective and Congress can assist by formally recognizing HITSP in any legislative language.” “We are concerned how this bill is gaining momentum so quickly when other more beneficial and comprehensive HIT bills are taking more time because they are being more thoughtfully considered with input from industry experts, Barnes added. The bill now goes to the full house for a vote and there is yet to be a senate companion written. ■ Senior Editor Diana Manos contributed to this report. More at HealthcareITnews.com e Connect: StaNdardS 1107 www.carestreamhealth.com Visit us at RSNA, Booth 2513 Carestream, DirectView, and DryView are trademarks of Carestream Health, Inc. The Kodak trademark and trade dress are used under license from Kodak. © Carestream Health, Inc., 2007 ● e ● Connect: careStreaM 1107 http://www.HealthcareITNews.com http://www.HealthcareITNews.com http://www.healthcareitnews.com/story.cms?id=8027 http://www.carestreamhealth.com http://www.carestreamhealth.com http://www.HealthcareITNews.com http://www.healthcareitnews.com/story.cms?id=8024 http://www.healthcareitnews.com/eConnect.cms?id=8081
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