Health Information Technology: resources & links

The Office of National Coordinator for HIT (ONC)
Many private initiatives have made some progress toward a national health information network and the increased adoption of EMRs.  The federal government has established this office to ensure that these efforts are synchronized and compatible.

American Health Information Community (AHIC)
AHIC is the ONC-appointed community meant to represent various stakeholder groups (payers, employers, physicians, etc) in discussions around the adoption of HIT and a national health information network.

Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT)
The CCHIT has established minimum requirements for functionality, security and interoperability.  Vendors that meet these requirements will receive certification status.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality announced a $139 million program to drive adoption of health information technology.  Grants and awards are spread across 41 states, targeting hospitals, healthcare systems, regional health information networks and communities.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the BioSense Program in 2004.  BioSense is the national program designed to improve the nations’s capabilities for real-time biosurveillance and situational awareness at a time when the vast number of health-related information systems that exist nationally vary in their ability to share data to support immediate biosurveillance needs.

Kansas Foundation for Medical Care
In support of the CMS 8th Scope of Work contract, KFMC provides free assistance to physician providers that desire to move to an electronic health record environment.  This program, Doctor’s Office Quality Information Technology (DOQ-IT), will assist practices with eight or fewer physicians to improve patient outcomes through adoption of electronic health records.

Kansas Health Information Technology/Health Information Exchange Policy Initiative – Recommendations

The Leapfrog Group
An organization comprised of more than 170 companies and organizations that buy healthcare, working to improve accountability in the hospital environment.  The Leapfrog Hospital Rewards Program is a pay-for-performance program to recognize and reward hospitals for their performance in both the quality and efficiency of inpatient care.

National Committee for Quality Assurance 
A non-profit organization whose mission is to improve healthcare quality everywhere.  They aim to improve quality in three ways: 1) accreditation of managed care organizations; 2) development of Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set; and 3) collaboration with AHRQ for member satisfaction survey of managed care plans.

WellPoint Health Network
An initiative launched with General Motors in Ohio to provide contracting network physician with new technologies designed to enhance their use of computerized physician order entry, e-prescribing and online communication.

Integrated Healthcare Association 
The country’s largest physician incentive program based on quality of care with participation by six California health plans.  The initiative promotes a common set of measures that evaluate clinical quality of care for preventive services – such as breast cancer screening- plus treatment of chronic care conditions such as diabetes and asthma.

National ePrescribing Patient Safety Initiative (NEPSI)
A national coalition formed to give a free Web-based electronic prescribing system to every physician in the country during the next five years.  Allscripts LLC, Dell Inc., Cisco systems Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Sprint Nextel Corp. are among a dozen companies participating.  Also participating are WellPoint Inc, Aetna Inc, and Horizon blue Cross and Blue shield of New Jersey.  The insurers have committed to offer financial incentives to encourage doctors to implement e-prescribing technology or use it to achieve certain pay-for-performance measures such as a certain generic prescription utilization level.

Dossia
A non-profit organization initially funded by Applied Materials, BPAmerica, Inc, Intel Corporation, Pitney Bowes, Inc, and Wal-Mart with the goal of providing lifelong personal health records for employees.  A Web-based framework will provide individuals and their families access to personal, private and portable personal health records including comprehensive, up-to-date histories

American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)
AHIMA represents health information management professionals and is actively involved in accelerating the use of EMRs.  It is involved with many leading organizations to craft policy related to EMRs and a national infrastructure for medical information exchange.

American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA)
AMIA represents developers and users of health information technology to advance the improvement of the nation’s health through the use of HIT.

American Medical Association
The AMA has developed a Web-based resource center providing general information on the various aspects of HIT and HIE.  It provides links to many of the DOQ-IT resource tools.

American Academy of Family Physicians
The AAFP has developed an extensive Web-based resource center.  Some of the content is for members only.  Informational articles on all aspects are provided.  Various assessment and planning tools are offered.  They have also endorsed and certified software vendors.