PCIP NYC eCW User Conference

Here is an invitation from the NYC PCIP Team.
The target audience consists of PCIP docs and other NYC eCW docs, office staff, and other PCIP partners. SV

Dear Primary Care Information Project Partner,


Mark your calendars! The Primary Care Information Project and eClinicalWorks are very excited to announce that the first NYC eCW User Conference will be held on Friday, March 20th, 2009 at the New York Academy of Medicine.



We are planning an exciting agenda filled with presentations, trainings, and interactive discussions on a variety of topics, including: Best Practices in Coding & Documentation, Advance Your Usage of the EMR Training, Keys to a Successful eCW Implementation, specialty focus groups, and much more. Participants will also have the opportunity to learn about new PCIP programs, meet industry thought leaders, participate in free eClinicalWorks trouble-shooting, and network with hundreds of eClinicalWorks users in New York City.



Please stay tuned for registration information, and make sure to reserve your spot as soon as possible for early bird pricing ($50/participant, $250 for up to 10 participants, $450 for up to 20 participants).

We look forward to seeing you next spring!


Happy holidays,


The PCIP Team

Health Level Seven Publishes Personal Health Record System Functional Model (PHR-S FM) as a Draft Standard for Trial Use


This will help expedite the interoperablity of PHRs and EHRs. SV

– Health Level Seven (HL7), a preeminent healthcare IT standards development organization with broad national and international representation, today announced that the HL7 Personal Health Record System Functional Model (PHR-S FM) has been published as a Draft Standard for Trial Use (DSTU) and is available for download from the HL7 website. The PHR-S FM defines the set of functions that may be present in PHR systems to create and manage an effective PHR. It also offers guidelines that facilitate health information exchange among different PHR systems and between PHR and EHR systems.

HL7

HL7 Functional Profile Registry for EHR-S and PHR-S Profiles

Obama/Biden/Daschle Health Care Community Discussions

Here is an opportunity to have your opinions heard.
Follow the link to set up an event and maybe have former sentator Daschle as a guest. SV


Change.gov

NYC Health eHearts Rewards P4P

This is Pay For Performance program worth reviewing.
Unlike many other P4P programs, this will derive information from the electronic health record! Its a good start and one of many programs to become available. SV

Rewarding & Recognizing Providers for Healthy Hearts

eHearts is designed for adult primary care practices using an EHR that can transmit automated quality reports of core measures from the EHR to the QRS (examples of EHRs that are developing this functionality include NextGen and Epic). Practices interested in applying for the program must meet the following criteria:

1. Be a non hospital-based practice;
2. Verify completion of at least 1 in-person meeting with a PCIP Quality Improvement Specialist (for PCIP practices only);
3. Be able to transmit an automated report* from the EHR to the QRS;
4. Have a minimum number of patients specified by DOHMH across all core measure risk factors documented in the EHR (e.g., patients ages 18-75 AND with ischemic vascular disease, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, OR hypertension).

NYC DOH PCIP

HL7 releases new CDA implementation guidelines

Health Level Seven (HL7), a preeminent developer of global healthcare standards, today announced breakthrough progress with its Clinical Document Architecture (CDA), including four new implementation guides. The guides address basic documentation requirements for diagnostic imaging, consultations, quality reporting and home health monitoring. These four implementation guides have been developed in response to industry demand as is clear from the wide range of supporting and collaborating institutions and providers.


HL7

Minnesota awards 3.5 million in EHR grants

Minnesota which may have one of the most agressive EHR implementation time tables is providing financial support. SV

Grants awarded to support interoperable electronic health records
Community collaboratives, community clinics, rural hospitals, small town physician clinics, nursing homes, and other small health care providers in Minnesota are focus of assistance

The Minnesota Department of Health's Office of Rural Health and Primary Care today announced they have awarded grants totaling $3.5 million to help Minnesota providers develop interoperable electronic health records.

Minnesota law requires all Minnesota health care providers to begin using an electronic prescribing system by January 1, 2011 and to use full electronic health records by January 1, 2015. These two requirements will allow providers to better exchange patient health information and deliver optimal care at all points of the health care system.

Minnesota

P4P leads to increased smoking cessation program referrals

A recent article in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that P4P "bonuses" lead to increased referrals in some practices. Not surprisingly,referrals from practices that had a history of proactive referrals, did not vary significantly between controls and participants.

P4P helps practices with limited resources increase proactive activities. SV

Archives of Internal Medicine

LEAPFROG CPOE EVALUATION TOOL

Leapfrog's recent study of CPOE reinforces the need for QA.
CPOE cannot function in vacuum effectively.
They offer a tool to assess a hospital's effectiveness in CPOE deployment. SV

Leapfrog

eHealthcare Initiative: A Clinician's Guide to e-Prescribing

This is an excellent reference on e-Prescribing including terminology, state/national initiatives and troubleshooting. SV





e-Prescribing Guide

Waterfront Media To Merge With Revolution Health Network

The Brooklyn company (close to home) and the Washington D.C. company merger creates a company with more traffic than WebMD. SV


Waterfront Media

HIXNY, Healthcare Information Xchange New York, will begin Troy Pilot

The last issue to be resolved before they can throw the switch is state approval of the patient consent process.
The first three hospitals will be Samaritan Hospital, Seton Health and Community Care Physicians.SV

Daily Gazette

Walmart deploying Dossia PHR/PCHR to its associates

This is a major milestone for Dossia and its partner WebMD. SV

Earlier this year, Wal-Mart announced that 92.7 percent of associates have health care coverage, including 50.2 percent of associates who have coverage through Wal-Mart’s plan.
Wal-Mart is also helping provide associates and their families access to information that will enable them to make smarter health care decisions, including personal health records (PHR). Associates will now have the tools and resources to access their own life-long PHR through a secure, personal health care account through WebMD that is powered by Dossia, a health information technology consortium. Whether it is communicating more effectively with doctors or keeping track of vaccinations, PHRs give associates the ability to take a more active, informed role in their own health, as well as that of their families.

Walmart

Dossia

10 EHRs meet CCHIT Ambulatory EHR 2008 Criteria



Community Computer Service Inc.
MEDENT 18

eClinicalWorks
eClinicalWorks 8.0

Epic Systems Corporation
EpicCare Ambulatory EMR Spring 2008

Greenway Medical Technologies, Inc.
PrimeSuite 2008

McKesson Provider Technologies
Practice Partner 9.3

MedLink International, Inc
MedLink TotalOffice 3.1

MedPlexus, Inc.
MedPlexus EHR 9.2.0.0

NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, Inc.
NextGen EMR 5.5.27

Pre-market, conditionally certified EHRs are new products that are fully certified once their operational use at a physician office site has been verified.

Pulse Systems Pulse Patient Relationship Management 4.1

VIP Medicine LLC SmartClinic 16

CCHIT indentifies $700 million in EHR funding

The links include a breakdown of 90 programs and 21 states activities. SV


CCHIT

CCHIT Incentive Index

CCHIT will certify free standing e-Prescribing software

The CCHIT Incentive Index does not yet include what may become one of the largest new incentive programs offered. Under recent legislation (Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act, or MIPPA), Medicare payment bonuses will become available for any physician who uses qualified electronic prescribing technology beginning in 2009. Although the Commission requires e-prescribing in certified EHR systems, it has not been certifying stand-alone e-prescribing products. But that situation will soon change: At its Sept. 23 meeting, the CCHIT Board of Commissioners officially gave the go-ahead to develop certification for stand-alone e-prescribing systems. After public comments and a pilot test, the Commission expects to launch this new program by July 2009.

CCHIT

AmeriHealth New Jersey launches statewide program to give physicians shared, web access to patient imaging records

Done right, this will save lives and reduce costs. Presumaby this will be using Xebra. More details to follow. SV

The exchange, now in the pilot program stage, is being built by Philadelphia-based HxTechnologies (HxTI), a health care IT and services company specializing in health information exchange. HxTI will also operate the system, and continually audit system use to enforce compliance.

Philadelphia – November 6, 2007 – Today HxTechnologies, Inc. (HxTI) announced the public availability and free open source licensing of the Xebra™ platform for web-based distribution and clinical review of medical imaging.

The software provides healthcare organizations and software developers with all the necessary components to securely transmit and review medical images over a network such as the Internet. Unlike its closed and proprietary predecessors locked to a single vendor, Xebra is intended to work alongside any picture archiving and communication system (PACS) and to provide advanced imaging capabilities to a wide range of healthcare IT applications. Written in Java, the software is designed to run on any operating system with an ultra-thin client that can be launched over the Web without any installation required by the end user.

In addition to image navigation and manipulation tools, the initial release of Xebra introduces features not generally available in web viewers offered with current PACS solutions. Xebra provides interoperability based on the latest industry standards such as JPEG2000 and WADO and contains advanced encryption and network security features especially well suited for health information exchanges (HIEs), regional health information organizations (RHIOs), longitudinal electronic health records (EHRs) and personal health records (PHRs) accessed over the Web.

HxTI

Columbia Center for Advanced Information Management December 2008 Event

Please save the date for the:

2008 New York City Medical Informatics Update

December 10, 2008

More information to follow shortly.

Center for Advanced Information Management
Columbia University
630 West 168th Street, PH1501
New York, NY 10032
212-305-2944

www.cat.columbia.edu

Availity and Prematics Launch First Comprehensive E-Prescribing Service For Florida Physicians

This a wonderful use of the Availity Health Information Network.
Transaction fees to be paid by the MCOs will finance the system.
The only thing missing is the additional reimbursement to providers for using the system to help compensate the initial slowdown with any new office workflow and to reward them with some of the savings to be accrued. The reimbursement needs to be in addition to the temporary bonus from CMS. SV


Prematics

HIMSS Event Information: Webinar - Post-Election Highlights and Implications for Health Information Technology Policy Changes in 2009

I encourage everyone to "attend" this free Webinar. SV

Date and time: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 11:00 am
Central Standard Time (GMT -06:00, Chicago)
Change time zone
Wednesday, November 12, 2008 10:00 am
Mountain Standard Time (GMT -07:00, Denver)
Wednesday, November 12, 2008 9:00 am
Pacific Standard Time (GMT -08:00, San Francisco)
Wednesday, November 12, 2008 12:00 pm
Eastern Standard Time (GMT -05:00, New York)

Duration: 1 hour

Description: Post-Election Highlights and Implications for Health Information Technology Policy Changes in 2009

The November 4, 2008, elections are predicted to have a tremendous impact on anyone connected with the health information technology industry...and most importantly - you! Learn from national experts and a former Congressman how to prepare for the new Presidential Administration and 111th Congress about the big changes ahead affecting your community...your state and the whole country.


HIMSS

Eclipsys to Acquire MediNotes (EHR/PMS)

Eclipsys, well-known among hospital staff, will be purchasing MediNotes.
MediNotes is a very popular solution for small practices and has dozens of interfaces with practice management systems such as Per-se Medisoft.
In interesting means of connecting small practices with an enterprise system.SV


Eclipsys

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield to contribute $29 million to promote ePrescribing

Highmark Inc. announced that it is contributing $29 million to help physicians acquire ePrescribing/eHealth Record technology for their practices.

Highmark will pay up to 75 percent of the cost for a physician's office to acquire, install and implement an electronic technology system, up to a maximum of $7,000 per physician, with the physician's practice to pay the remaining balance.

ZixCorp Pocketscript will be participating.

Highmark

ZixCorp

NY County Medical Society Presidental Campaign Forum

Admission free


Health advisors to the candidates present their health policies on:


Monday, October 6, 2008, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.,

in the Second Floor Conference Room, Hospital for Special Surgery

535 East 70th Street, New York, New York 10021.


Sponsored by
The New York County Medical Society

and the
Health Policy Journal Club of the Hospital for Special Surgery


With

Irwin Redlener, MD, Advisor to Senator Barack Obama

Gail Wilensky, PhD, Advisor to Senator John McCain



Both Presidential candidates have ambitious plans for reforming the U.S. healthcare system: Reforming the health insurance market, expanding coverage, boosting HIT, modifying Medicare to reward physicians and hospitals for higher quality care.


Hear how the two candidates would tackle these and other challenges from two different philosophies, and how they would handle the details.


There will be ample time for debate and audience questions.


Admission free


RSVP required. Call Lisa Joseph at 212-684-4670, ext. 222, or e-mail ljoseph@nycms.org.

MRI TEPR Award 2008 Winners

The 2008 TEPR Awards honorees are:

Personal Health Record Systems
Recognizing superior providers of PHR systems based on criteria such as data, data integrity, security, and consumer control.

1st Honors: CapMed
2nd Honors (tie): Doctations and Passport MD

Hot Products
Recognizing the most innovative IT products bringing the most positive benefits to healthcare.

1st Honors: MediNotes' Clinician Supply Chain Manager
2nd Honors: XLEMR's SOX - The Physician's Quickbooks Accounting Robot
3rd Honors: CapMed's icePHR Mobile

EMR Systems Best Meeting Medicolegal Requirements
A new TEPR Awards category recognizing EMRs best meeting medicolegal requirements based on criteria such as identity/authentication, documentation version management, signature events, data integrity, and document event auditing functions.

1st Honors (tie): Doctations and eMedicalFiles

Prior to TEPR, industry experts, who served as independent judges, reviewed Award applications, assessed them and selected finalists in each category. Then at TEPR, on Sunday, May 18, finalists presented their solutions before judges and TEPR registrants. Judges determined Honors in each category, and the honorees were officially recognized at the TEPR Opening Session.

Medical Records Institute

Smartphone PDA descriptions Podcast


Short piece discusses the different types of phones , PDAs and operating systems.

This was recorded before Apple released the SDK for the iPhone. SV



Smartphone Podcast

Canadian electronic health record projects quadruple in four years

We should be mindful of the work being down North of the Border to see what can be applied in the USA.

Does anyone know of any "Cross-Border" activity to facilitate care for commuters and others? SV


August 11, 2008 (Toronto) - Canada's electronic health record (EHR) projects increased by 12 per cent last year and have quadrupled since 2004 announced Richard Alvarez, President and CEO of Canada Health Infoway (Infoway).

"Canadians want their medical information available electronically to the clinicians who care for them," said Alvarez. "And that's starting to happen in communities across Canada. Collaboration among governments is at an all-time high and with continued federal funding, we are well on our way to providing every Canadian with an electronic health record by 2016."

Canada Health Infoway

Retail medical clinic "gold rush" slowing down

Apparently the phrase, "if you build it, they will come", is not always true. At least in the short-term. Investors and clinics are finding that patience and greater evaluation of local market needs are required to establish a profitable clinic. SV


Star Tribune

ePocrates Online, new free version!

The medical reference material is a great addition to thus formerly medication only tool. The diseases can be searched by category and by a search box which automatically begins the search as the first character is entered. While not exhaustive, the topics include a good number of pediatric as adult entries. Photos add additional value. Medications mentioned in the disease module are linked to the complete discription in the medication reference module.

The premium version of the product adds

alternative medications
the Pill Identifier
the Medical Calculators
the Clinical Tables and Guidelines. SV

Epocrates partnered with BMJ Group, publisher of the British Medical Journal, to create this new web-based reference which delivers practical and up-to-date disease diagnosis and treatment guidelines at the immediate point of care. The product features peer-reviewed content that is authored by physician experts with guidance by BMJ Group. With the new disease database, you’ll get condition overview and risk factors, treatment approach, tests to order, national medical society guidelines, and more.

Epocrates online

H.R.6331 Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008


Here is an excerpt from the recently passed legislation: carrots, sticks and all.
I am surprised at small size of the initial bonus and the quickness with which it will be decreased.

Let's get some opinions. SV

The bonuses would seem to decrease over the years:

`(C) APPLICABLE ELECTRONIC PRESCRIBING PERCENT- For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term `applicable electronic prescribing percent' means--

`(i) for 2009 and 2010, 2.0 percent;

`(ii) for 2011 and 2012, 1.0 percent; and

`(iii) for 2013, 0.5 percent.';

While the penalalties would increase over the years (percent of fee schedule after penalty is applied):

ii) APPLICABLE PERCENT- For purposes of clause (i), the term `applicable percent' means--

`(I) for 2012, 99 percent;

`(II) for 2013, 98.5 percent; and

`(III) for 2014 and each subsequent year, 98 percent.

The Government will revisit the incentives/disincentives base upon several variables including:

(c) GAO Report on Electronic Prescribing- Not later than September 1, 2012, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report on the implementation of the incentives for electronic prescribing established under the provisions of, and amendments made by, this section. Such report shall include information regarding the following:

(1) The percentage of eligible professionals (as defined in section 1848(k)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-4(k)(3)) that are using electronic prescribing systems, including a determination of whether less than 50 percent of eligible professionals are using electronic prescribing systems.

(2) If less than 50 percent of eligible professionals are using electronic prescribing systems, recommendations for increasing the use of electronic prescribing systems by eligible professionals, such as changes to the incentive payment adjustments established under section 1848(a)(5) of such Act, as added by subsection (b).

(3) The estimated savings to the Medicare program under title XVIII of such Act resulting from the use of electronic prescribing systems.

(4) Reductions in avoidable medical errors resulting from the use of electronic prescribing systems.

H.R. 6331

DEA e-prescription regulations released June 27 2008

The highlights:

1) Prescriber in-person identity proofing (fortunately this can be done at a DEA-registered hospital)

2)Authentication protocol would have to be two-factor

3)Pharmacies would have to regularly check on the prescriber's status

4)Both the electronic prescription service provider and the pharmacy system provider would need to obtain annual third-party audits for security and processing integrity. 3rd party audits


Here is an abridged version of the 62 page document.

Public comment is strongly recommended. SV

DEA considered and is proposing two options:

Electronically signed prescriptions with security controls. Under this alternative, practitioners would be required to undergo in-person identity proofing and submit documentation of that to a service provider. The identity proofing would be conducted by a DEA-registered hospital, a State licensing board, or State or local law enforcement agency. The service provider would be required to check the validity of the DEA registration and State license before issuing an authentication protocol to be used to sign controlled substance prescriptions. The authentication protocol would have to be two-factor, with one factor stored on a hard token (e.g., a PDA, a multifactor one-time-use password token, a thumb drive, a smart card). DEA would also impose certain system requirements related to the prescription elements and their presentation; most existing systems may already meet these requirements. The prescription would have to be transmitted immediately upon being signed and the service provider would have to digitally sign and archive the record before transmitting the plain text prescription to the intermediaries. The pharmacy would have to digitally sign and archive the prescription as received. The pharmacy system would need an internal audit trail to record any attempts to alter a record and conduct internal checks for such attempts. Both the electronic prescription service provider and the pharmacy system provider would need to obtain annual third-party audits for security and processing integrity. The service provider would have to generate a monthly log, which practitioners would be required to check for obvious anomalies. The rationale for each of the requirements is presented under the discussion of the proposed rule below.
Modified digitally signed prescriptions. Due to the current use of
digital signatures by Federal health care systems, and the added security afforded by such signatures, DEA is proposing to allow practitioners that prescribe controlled substances at Federal health care facilities (e.g., Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense) the additional option of using digital certificates, issued by such Federal agencies, to sign controlled substance prescriptions issued in the course of their official duties within those facilities. These Federal agencies would need to determine that the practitioner is authorized and registered, or exempted from the requirement of registration, to prescribe controlled substances. The private key would be required to be stored on a hard token. Federal agencies will already be meeting this requirement in issuing Personal Identification Verification (PIV) cards under Federal Information Processing Standard 201. Most of the system requirements would be the same as in the previous option except that the Federal agency could elect to allow the practitioner to digitally sign and archive the prescription once the DEA-required elements are complete and transmit later when other information has been added (e.g., retail pharmacy URL). The Federal agency would not have to digitally sign the record as transmitted. The pharmacy requirements would be the same. The digital signature would not be transmitted to the pharmacy; the pharmacy would not have to validate the record. However, if a Federal agency wished to include the digital signature as part of the transmission, DEA is permitting this alternative. In that case, the pharmacy would be required to validate the digital signature, but would not be required to digitally sign the prescription as received. Because a Certification Authority would issue the digital certificate and because record integrity is more assured with a digital signature, DEA would not require a check of a monthly log or third-party audits for security. The rationale for each of the requirements is presented under the discussion of the proposed rule below.

National Register

Horizon BCBSNJ Sponsors Hospitals adoption of E-Medication Technology

This is a wonderful application of existing technology that will yield immediate benefits. Concurrent with this press release was news of the SureScripts-RxHub merger. As we await the "construction" of RHIOs, the Horizon sponsorship and hopefully others like it will permit patients to reap the benefits of what is readily available. SV

Horizon BCBSNJ First Insurer in the Nation to Provide Financial Support to Select Network Hospitals for the Adoption of E- Medication History Technology

The program will be administered through RcopiaAC MedHx by DrFirst which connects to the largest and most comprehensive medication history data sources available in the market. RcopiaAC collects, displays, and documents patient medication history information at the time of admission and connects directly to hospitals taking part in the program. When a patient is admitted into the hospital, RcopiaAC will send an electronic medical history request to multiple sources including RxHub, Surescripts, DrFirst’s nationwide network of Rcopia e-prescribing users, and DrFirst’s EMR Open Borders partners. When medication history information is found, it will be submitted back to the hospital. The system will be completely automated and the information will be relayed in real time.

Horizon BCBSNJ

Federal budget:your opportunity to act

Here is the link for the ACPONLINE CAPWIZ site. SV


ACPONLINE CAPWIZ

Here is the link for a sample letter for patients.

Letter

DEA Issues Proposed Regulations to Allow Electronic Prescriptions for Controlled Substances

ePrescribing of controlled substances will further improve operations in doctors' offices. SV



JUN 27 -- DEA today published proposed regulations that would provide physicians and other authorized prescribers with the option of issuing electronic prescriptions for controlled substances. These regulations would also permit pharmacies to receive, dispense, and archive these electronic prescriptions. The agency is seeking public comment on the proposed regulations. Any member of the public wishing to submit comments may do so by mail or electronically on or before September 25, 2008.

These regulations provide pharmacies, hospitals, and practitioners with the ability to use modern technology for controlled substance prescriptions while maintaining the closed system of controls on controlled substances dispensing; additionally, the proposed regulations would reduce paperwork for DEA registrants who prescribe or dispense controlled substances and have the potential to reduce prescription forgery.

US DOJ

Personal Health Records (PHR) privacy protections codified: Common Framework for Networked Personal Health Information

The Markle Foundation has published the suggested rules of operation that should give greater protection to users of PHR type products. Google, Microsoft, among others, are on-board. SV

Connectingforhealth.org

Our Pen and Paper Doctors New York Times Editorial June 24 2008

I just read the editorial which refers to the June 18, 2008 New England Journal of Medicine article which surveyed 2,700 physicians. It notes that in countries with single payor systems, electronic health record use is almost universal. In those countries, the government foots the bill. All the financial benefits are then funneled back for re-investment etc. The major barriers noted here in the United States relate to the cost of acquisition, the cost of maintenance, the lack of standards and fear of early obsolescence among others.

Unfortunately, the editorial ends with the sentence, "It is time to drag private physicians out of the paper age".

There is no need to disbarage the concerns of physicians. The financial barriers are real and the financial benefits unfortunately mostly accrue to others. Physicians need not be "dragged", they just need the financial assistance to get started and a fair share of the benefits that will be generated. Once this is done, I believe that most physicians will do their fair share of pulling health care away from the Pen and Paper of the previous century.

Salvatore Volpe MD
Co-Chair of the Medical Society State of New York, Health Information Technology Committee

NY Times

The Ultimate Guide to Taking Control of Your Health Records

Here's a pretty good compilation of services and tools for laypersons and medical professionals related to electronic health records and personal health records. SV


Nursing Online Education Database NOEDb

AT&T, Covisint and Microsoft Partnership: Nationwide Health Information Exchange

This promises to bring information from disparate sources together.
Not mentioned, is possible collaboration with other organizations attempting to create a National Health Information Exchange. More details are welcome. SV

The new eHealth information exchange is a revolutionary approach designed to reduce costs and improve the quality of care while putting patients in control of their medical records. It allows consumers using Microsoft® HealthVault™, a software and service-based platform for storing and accessing personal health information, to share information with authorized physicians and health care providers connected to AT&T Healthcare Community Online.

The new eHealth information exchange, enabled by Covisint’s On-Demand Healthcare Platform and layered on AT&T’s patented eHealth solutions and Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) network, shares information electronically and in a security-enhanced way across the continuum of care — from patient to provider communities such as HealthVault, health-information exchanges and insurers.

Press Release

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts To Integrate With Google Health

Congratulations to BCBSMA and GOOGLE!

Remember this is just claims data, but it does help supplement the information that can be collected by practices participating in the Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative by providing data from hospitals and physicians not part of the Collaborative. SV

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA) announced today a partnership with Google Health that will expand options for members who want to create their own Personal Health Record (PHR). BCBSMA is the first health insurance company to sign an agreement to integrate on the Google Health platform. After the integration is complete, BCBSMA members can import their claims data into their Google Health profile safely and securely. Google Health, a new product that launched in mid-May of this year, allows patients to store and organize their medical records online.

Once this sharing relationship is established, Google Health will give BCBSMA members the ability to:

Organize, store and manage their medical records and personal health information online in one secure location, including BCBSMA claims data;
Download medical records and prescription history from other connected providers, such as retail pharmacies, Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), labs and doctors offices;
Share their medical information with providers and or third party services they may offer customized services;
Learn about important health issues and potential drug-to-drug interactions;
Search for a doctor or hospital online.

BCBSMA

Kaiser Permanente My Health Manager partners with Microsoft Healthvault

This will be a major test of interoperability capability. SV

OAKLAND, Calif., and REDMOND, Wash. — Kaiser Permanente and Microsoft Corp. announced today that the two companies will pilot health data transfers between Kaiser Permanente's My Health Manager and the Microsoft HealthVault consumer health platform. Pairing two leaders in online health innovation, this pilot program is expected to unveil new strategies for expanding consumer access to online health information and management tools.

The pilot program will extend the functionality of the successful Kaiser Permanente personal health record, My Health Manager. Already, My Health Manager's more than 2 million users have convenient and easy online access to clinical information and health management tools, including e-mailing your doctor, online prescription refills and appointment scheduling. Connecting My Health Manager to the HealthVault platform will allow users to combine personal health information from Kaiser Permanente and a wide range of health and wellness management applications and devices such as blood pressure monitors.

Kaiser Permanente

CCHIT names PHR Advisory Task Force


Special congratulation to Dr Agrawal, an advocate of Medication Reconciliation. SV

Members of the task force are:

Co-chairs: Mark Leavitt, CCHIT, and Paul Tang, M.D., Palo Alto Medical Foundation

Abha Agrawal, M.D., Kings County Hospital Center, Brooklyn, New York
Richard Benoit, Intel Digital Health Group
Lorraine Doo, Office of e-Health Standards and Services, CMS
Steve Findlay, Consumers Union
Meighan Girgus, American Heart Association
Theresa Hancock, Veterans and Consumers Health Informatics Office, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Leslie Harris, Center for Democracy and Technology
Missy Krasner, Google Health
Steve Lampkin, Wal-Mart
Holly Miller, M.D., University Hospitals, Cleveland, Ohio
Don Mon, American Health Information Management Association
Anna Lisa Silvestre, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan
Michael Stokes, Microsoft Corporation
Michael Ubl, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota
Patient representative (to be named)

CCHIT establishes Personal Health Records (PHR) Work Group


The Personal Health Records (PHR) Work Group was established in 2008 as part of the Certification Commission expansion. It is preparing to engage in CCHIT Certified 09 efforts.

Special congratulations to Dr Eytan:physician, philosopher, traveler. SV


Personal Health Records Work Group Members

Co-Chair:
Ted Eytan, MD MS MPH
Medical Director, Health Informatics & Web Services
Group Health Cooperative

Lory Wood
VP, Chief Security and Compliance Officer
Good Health Network

Members:
Nicole Antonson, RN, MBA
Program Manager, Patient Safety
McKesson

Suzie Burke-Bebee, MSIS, MS, RN
Senior Health Informatician
Dept Health and Human Services

Albert Chan, MD, MS
Physician Champion of Electronic Health Record and PAMFOnline
Sutter Health, Palo Alto Medical Foundation/Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group

Haris Domazet
Division Lead of Web Technical Services
Epic Systems Corporation

Donna DuLong, RN, BSN
Program Director
TIGER Initiative

Paul Edge
VP, Clinical Solutions
Misys Healthcare Systems

Michael Galang, DO, MS
Chief Medical Information Officer
Catholic Health System of Western New York

Lenel James, BS, MBA
Senior Project Manager
Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association

Jerry Lin
Product Manager
Google

Cortney Nicolato
Senior Manager, Strategic Alliances & Health IT
American Heart Association National Center

Jan Oldenburg
Practice Leader
Kaiser Permanente

Juhan Sonin
Designer
MITRE

Stelle Smith
Clinical Product Marketing Manager
Sage Software

James Tosone
Director, Healthcare Informatics
Pfizer Inc

Lawrence Williams
President / CEO
Roadside Telematics Corporation

Julie Wolter, MA, RHIA
Assistant Professor
Saint Louis University

CCHIT

eHealth Initiative: Roadmap and Practical Guides for Rapid Expansion of Electronic Prescribing

eHealth Initiative and The Center for Improving Medication Management Release National Roadmap and Practical Guides for Rapid Expansion of Electronic Prescribing

Multi-stakeholder Group Touts Benefits from E-Prescribing and Makes Recommendations on How to Accelerate its Adoption and Effective Use

The report provides concrete recommendations to move e-prescribing into mainstream practice. Recommendations in the report include:

Adoption and effective use of e-prescribing. All prescribers should adopt e-prescribing as it becomes a mainstream model of care, including small practices, small hospitals, and long term care facilities.

Replicate and expand successful incentive programs. Align incentives developed by federal and state governments, payers, employers, health plans, and health systems.

Address the DEA ban on e-prescribing controlled substances. The federal government should act soon to end the DEA ban on e-prescribing of controlled substances to eliminate the need for physicians to manage duplicative work processes.

Create a public-private multi-stakeholder e-prescribing advisory body. The e-prescribing advisory body must be created to monitor, assess and make recommendations to accelerate the effective use of e-prescribing, and should be made up of diverse stakeholders across every sector of health care.

All stakeholders should advance the e-prescribing infrastructure. The industry should encourage all pharmacies to accept electronic prescriptions and provide medication history information, all payers/PBMs to deliver formulary, eligibility, and medication history information through e-prescribing, and all vendors to deploy and support high-quality e-prescribing applications.

Continue development of additional standards for e-prescribing. While fully connected e-prescribing is delivering real benefits based on the national standards in place today,additional standards development and adoption processes should be supported and accelerated and all stakeholders, including the federal government and the private sector, must be involved.

eHealthiniative

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt:named 12 communities: CMS EHR Demonstration project

Congratulations and good luck!
We New Yorkers anxiously await expansion of the project. SV

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt today named 12 communities that will participate in a national Medicare demonstration project that provides incentive payments to physicians for using certified electronic health records (EHR) to improve the quality of patient care. The five-year, first-of-its-kind project is expected to improve the quality of care provided to an estimated 3.6 million Americans.

“The use of electronic health records, and of health information technology as a whole, has the ability to transform the way health care is delivered in our nation,” Secretary Leavitt said. “We believe that EHRs can help physicians deliver better, more efficient care for their patients, in part by reducing medical errors. This project is designed to demonstrate these benefits and help increase the use of this technology in practices where adoption has been the slowest – at the individual physician and small practice level.”

The communities selected to work with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on the EHR demonstration project range from county- and state- level to multi-state collaborations. They include:

Alabama
Delaware
Jacksonville, FL (multi-county)
Georgia
Maine
Louisiana
Maryland/Washington, DC
Oklahoma
Pittsburgh, PA (multi-county)
South Dakota (multi-state)
Virginia
Madison, WI (multi-county)

HHS.GOV

ONCHIT releases strategic HIT plan for 2008 to 2012

EHRs and PHRs are felt to be the key tools help the plan succeed.
While many states have raised significant sums to help this succeed, the Federal government has not done so to the same degree. The Patient Centered Medical Home and other similar initiatives will be need by the Public and Private sector to help accelerate the process. SV


GOALS AND ORGANIZATION OF THE PLAN

The Plan has two goals, Patient-focused Health Care and Population Health, which are defined as follows:

Patient-focused Health Care: Enable the transformation to higher quality, more cost-efficient, patient-focused health care through electronic health information access and use by care providers, and by patients and their designees.

Population Health: Enable the appropriate, authorized, and timely access and use of electronic health information to benefit public health, biomedical research, quality improvement, and emergency preparedness.

Each goal has four objectives and the themes of privacy and security, interoperability, adoption, and collaborative governance recur across the goals, but they apply in very different ways to health care and population health.

HHS.GOV

Google Health is now ready for primetime


Google Health has agreements in place with quite a few partners to exchange data (with the patient's permission) forward/receive records from healthcare providers, request second opinions and perform online office visits.

Please note the following caveats: neither Google Health nor Microsoft's Healthvault are covered by the current HIPAA regulations. Also, the same username and password that grants you access to Google Mail grants you access to Google Health. In exchange for losing some of the convenience of single login, I would recommend at least nested passwords and and preferably nested user names and passwords.

Translation: to access Google Health after the general login, one would need an extra user name and password. This would decrease the likelihood of someone getting into your Health account.

Another interesting feature to add would be the ability to lock out subsections of the record for viewing or selective transfer of the information. I do think, however, that the recipient would need to be notified that information is being withheld. SV

Beth Isreal Deaconess Medical Center
Cleveland Clinic MyChart
Longs Drug Stores
Medco
MinuteClinic from CVS Caremark
Quest Diagnostics
RxAmerica
Walgreens Pharmacy

iHealthRecord.org


Google/health

NAHIT releases HIT definitions

This should make for more clearer conversations. SV


The National Alliance for Health Information Technology Releases HIT Definitions Report


Chicago, May 20, 2008— The National Alliance for Health Information Technology (Alliance) today released its final report, “Defining Key Health Information Technology Terms”. This report reflects consensus work completed over the last several months on definitions for six important health information technology (IT) terms.

Funded by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) this project was initiated in response to a growing need to address ambiguous and divergent definitions impeding health IT progress. The lack of clear terminology can lead to unintentional consequences with respect to regulation, other forms of health care policy, contract and purchasing decisions and other health IT initiatives. This need was highlighted by the Alliance’s literature review which identified between 18 and 63 possible definitions for each of five key health IT terms: electronic medical record (EMR,) electronic health record (EHR,) personal health record (PHR,) health information exchange (HIE) and regional health information organization (RHIO.)

The Alliance convened two work groups of experts to develop consensus definitions for these five terms. Because of dual interpretations of HIE as both a process and an organization, it became necessary to clarify the difference between the process of information exchange (HIE) and the oversight and accountability functions necessary to support that process. The project’s Network Work Group therefore added and defined a sixth term, health information organization (HIO.)

“We have developed what we believe to be clear, consistent definitions that offer both immediate and longer-term, practical benefits. We have proposed language that is easily understood by non-technical leaders in health care delivery, policymakers with responsibility and accountability for decisions in the area of health IT, consumers who are being asked to participate more fully in their care and wellness and need education tools to do so.” says Horowitz.

The definitions are:

Electronic Medical Record
An electronic record of health-related information on an individual that can be created, gathered, managed, and consulted by authorized clinicians and staff within one health care organization.

Electronic Health Record
An electronic record of health-related information on an individual that conforms to nationally recognized interoperability standards and that can be created, managed, and consulted by authorized clinicians and staff across more than one health care organization.

Personal Health Record
An electronic record of health-related information on an individual that conforms to nationally recognized interoperability standards and that can be drawn from multiple sources while being managed, shared, and controlled by the individual.

Health Information Exchange
The electronic movement of health-related information among organizations according to nationally recognized standards.

Health Information Organization
An organization that oversees and governs the exchange of health-related information among organizations according to nationally recognized standards.

Regional Health Information Organization
A health information organization that brings together health care stakeholders within a defined geographic area and governs health information exchange among them for the purpose of improving health and care in that community.

The full report from the Alliance includes the specific definitions and summarizes the deliberations and conclusions of the two work groups. It concludes with a look forward, envisioning how the definitions, if adopted over time, can support an interoperable infrastructure to realize the benefits of health IT. A copy of the full report can be found at www.nahit.org.

About the Alliance
The National Alliance for Health Information Technology is a diverse partnership of senior executives from all healthcare sectors working to advance the adoption of clinical information technology systems to achieve measurable improvements in patient safety, quality of care and operating performance. The Alliance collaborates with healthcare and government leaders to influence healthcare decision-makers to act effectively in creating an efficient, safe, unified, and inclusive health system. Since its founding in 2002, the Chicago-based Alliance has helped forge consensus and accelerate progress on such important initiatives as developing an industry-endorsed interoperability definition, creating a public directory of health IT standards and authoring Rules of Engagement: A proven path for instilling, and then installing a CPOE approach that works. The Alliance is a co-founder of the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT) and its CEO chaired the Commission on Systemic Interoperability (CSI). More information about the Alliance is available at www.nahit.org.

Contact:
Lois Padovani
Padovani Communications
630-241-1430
l.padovani@comcast.net

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield expands e-Prescribing project to include a "PHR"


In addition to e-Prescribing information, physicians will now have access to claims based diagnoses of other physicians treating the patient as well as "test results". This definitely expands the utility of the "standalone" e-Prescribing service. SV

"Now all licensed New Hampshire practitioners who are part of our ePrescribing program are also able to access both medical records and claims data on Anthem members, anytime, anywhere by using their web-enabled cell phone," said Richard Lafleur, M.D., medical director, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in New Hampshire, who added that participants could also access the new program from their office or home computer.

BCBS

Bronx RHIO update

The Daily News just published an article regarding the six hospitals that will begin sharing information. The consortium of 28 organizations that will finally be involved range from Private Hospitals, HHC Hospitals, a VA Hospital, VNS and more. SV


Daily News

Bronx RHIO

Father Joe's Villages and McKesson's Practice Partner EHR Help Improve Care for Underserved Communities

This is a wonderful act of charity. SV

"Father Joe’s is a non-profit corporation that consists of several facilities offering a variety of services and programs to the homeless. “McKesson’s EHR has been instrumental in helping us serve this very needy, and often overlooked population throughout the San Diego area and in Indio,” said Dr. Margaret McCahill who serves as the Medical Director at the St. Vincent de Paul Village Family Health Center, which is a part of Father Joe’s Village."

McKesson

Father Joe's Villages

Prematics: e-Prescribing

New start up company has heavy hitters on "Board".
Reads like a Who's Who of e-Rx and former Government HIT experts. SV



Prematics

Oklahoma City ERs to be share medical information

Patient safety will be improved and medical costs will be reduced.
How? Reduced adverse drug events, quicker diagnoses, reduced duplication of tests and more. SV


The data to be exchanged includes:

patient demographics, medications, allergies and reactions, diagnosis history, laboratory results, procedures, immunizations and health care providers.

NewsOK.com

CMS (Medicare) and South Carolina offer PHR (Personal Health Record)

It is only for fee for service Medicare.
No links with Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D or Medicaid. Too bad.
Patients can add to it however. Its a good start but needs the additional links. SV

MyPHRSC is a free and secure electronic Personal Health Record that stores your Medicare claims history for the past 24 months in one convenient place. Updated daily, the health record provides you with one place where you can track your medical history. With MyPHRSC, you don’t have to search through your paper records to find what you need. You can access your records in one place, wherever you are, and whenever you need them. With MyPHRSC, you can view and manage the following Medicare claims information:

Provider Visits
Hospitalizations
Medical conditions

MYPHRSC

FDA to use 3rd party medication Safety Sentinel System:Wellpoint and others

WellPoint's Safety Sentinel System is being developed in close collaboration with leading government and academic institutions, including the FDA and faculty from key academic institutions, including Harvard University, the University of North Carolina and the University of Pennsylvania, and is expected to advance national efforts to identify safety risks associated with drugs and other clinical care decisions, allowing physicians and other health care professionals to make more informed decisions about how to treat their patients.

Wellpoint

CMS (Medicare) e-Prescribing update

The required tools are currently available in most stand-alone e-Prescribing products and many EHRs. SV

The final e-prescribing rule was placed on display at the Federal Register on April 2, 2008. The final rule provides three electronic tools for use in e-prescribing:

Formulary and benefit transactions: gives prescribers information about which drugs are covered by a Medicare beneficiary's prescription drug benefit plan.

Medication history transactions: provides prescribers with information about medications a beneficiary is already taking, including those prescribed by other providers, to help reduce the number of adverse drug events.

Fill Status notifications: allows prescribers to receive an electronic notice from the pharmacy telling them that a patient's prescription has been picked up, not picked up, or has been partially filled, to help monitor medication adherence in patients with chronic conditions.

The final rule also adopts the National Provider Identifier (NPI) for e-prescribing under Medicare Part D, and retires NCPDP SCRIPT 5.0 in favor of the upgraded NCPDP SCRIPT 8.1.


CMS Overview
CMS pdf

HEAL NY PHASE V (5) Results are in

NEW YORK AWARDS $105 MILLION IN HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY GRANTS

Funded Projects

Statewide Health Information Network for New York (SHIN-NY)

* Brooklyn Health Information Exchange (BHIX)
* Greater Rochester RHIO
* Taconic Health Information Network and Community (THINC) RHIO
* Western New York Clinical Information Exchange (WYNCIE)
* Southern Tier Health Link
* Health Information Exchange of New York (HIXNY)
* Long Island Patient Information Exchange (LIPIX)
* Bronx RHIO

Clinical Informatics Services (CIS)

* Brooklyn Health Information Exchange (BHIX)
* Parker Jewish Institute of Health Care and Rehabilitation
* Taconic Health Information Network and Community (THINC) RHIO

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) for Clinicians, Personal Health Tools for Consumers, Community Portals for Clinicians and Public Health Officials

* Sunset Park Health Council
* New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOH MH)
* Greater Rochester RHIO
* Columbia Memorial Hospital
* Interboro RHIO
* Champlain Valley Physicians
* Hudson River Healthcare
* Health Information Technology Alliance of Syracuse (HITAS)

NYS site

Pennsylvania Governor Rendell signs Executive Order creating Pennsylvania Health Information Exchange (PHIX)

Bravo Governor!
PaEHI, Pennsylvania eHealth Initiative shall provide consultative services.
The devil is in the details: financial and standards related. SV



Sun Herald

Executive Order

The Sixth Vital Sign: Internet Health Searches

I just listened to an excellent interview of

Dr Ted Eytan (quoted above)
Dr Scott Haig
Samantha Fox

The pod cast features their opinions on patients who query the internet about their illness(es). I found it very insightful. SV

NPR

Vermont EHR "Tax"

Vermont Information Technology Leaders are recommending a surcharge on medical claims to help pay for the promotion of Information Technology of about 1/3 of one percent.
Most studies support the assertion that medical practices receive less than 15% of the benefit from the savings introduced by HIT but are currently expected to finance 100% of the cost.
What do you think? SV

Burlington Free Press

NYC DOHMH PCIP eClinicalWorks Presentation: A review by Dr Ted Eytan

Dr Eytan was kind enough to attend the presentation and has provided his observations at the PCHIT Blog. SV

PCHIT Blog

The NYCDOH Primary Care Information Project and eClinicalWorks Electronic Medical Records Demonstration

Thursday March 20th from 5:30pm-7:30pm.

Program Agenda

5:30pm-5:45pm
DOHMH PCIP Program Overview Mat Kendall, Director of Operations Primary Care
Information Project

5:45pm-6:00pm
eClinicalWorks Provider Experience Review and Q&A Session

Salvatore Volpe, MD FAAP FACP

6:00pm-7:00pm eClinicalWorks Demonstration
Scott Hakanson, Product Specialist
eClinical Works

7:00pm-7:30pm
General Question and Answer

Richmond University Medical Center
Sipp Auditorium
355 Bard Ave, Staten Island, NY

For more information, please send an email to pcip@health.nyc.gov , call (212)341-2263, or visit the PCIP website www.nyc.gov/pcip


If you have a practice on Staten Island please register for the event.
If you know some one who has a practice on Staten Island please encourage her/him to attend.

Thanks

Registration link

Cleveland Clinic to take Google's PHR for a test drive

The Cleveland Clinic will run a pilot project of Google's PHR.
The Cleveland clinic currently has 100,000 patients on its current PHR called eCleveland Clinic MyChart®. The pilot, an invitation-only opportunity offered to a group of Cleveland Clinic PHR users, plans to enroll between 1,500 and 10,000 patients.

Joining the other 800 pound gorilla, Microsoft's HealthVault, this project should spur increased discussions on interoperability and security. SV

Cleveland Clinic

Rhode Island Health Information Exchange Act of 2008

Rhode Island's recent legislation should help instill confidence in their Health Information Exchange. SV

The Rhode Island Health Information Exchange Act of 2008 creates a set of critical patient safeguards, many of which go well beyond existing state and federal privacy and data security protections. Baseline consumer protections in the bill include:

.Clear language that participation in the HIE is voluntary – both consumers and providers get to choose whether or not to participate
.The ability to obtain a copy of confidential health care information in the HIE
.The ability to obtain a copy of a Disclosure Report detailing what entities have accessed a patient’s confidential health care information in the HIE
.Notification of any breach of security of the HIE
.The right to terminate participation in the HIE
.The right to request that inaccurate HIE information be corrected
.Strong data security procedures
.The creation of an HIE Advisory Commission to provide community input into the use of confidential health care information in the HIE


Rhode Island

My Dinner with Ted Eytan

I recently had the opportunity to spend some time with Dr Ted Eytan.
Over a wonderful Croatian meal, we shared stories of respective experiences.
I was glad to finally meet someone from Group Health Cooperative, Seattle, WA, an organization that I hold in high esteem.
He and the other members of PCHIT (Patient Centered Health Information Technology) team are akin to anthropologists traveling across the country observing, documenting and sharing a broad spectrum of patient-physician interactions. His blog at PCHIT is a window through which we can share his experiences. A recurrent theme of our conversation was the goal of transparency. We all have something we can learn from each other. SV

Here is an excerpt from PCHIT:

"Our plan was to spend time in a cross section of health care, observing the patient-physician interaction. PCHIT was designed to look at factors present in different care environments at the level of the patient-physician interaction.

This initiative will improve adoption of health information technology (HIT) tools to better engage patients and families in their own care. We will support learning and implementation by working closely with a variety of organizations to better understand each organization’s key levers and barriers to adoption."

PCHIT
Dinner comments

Mayor Bloomberg visits office of physicians using eClinicalWorks

Both the doctor and the software (part of the NYC DOH MH PCIP) were a big hit.
Congratulations to Dr Sumir Sahgal of Essen Medical Associates 2015 Grand Concourse Bronx, NY. SV

NY Times


NYC PCIP

NY HIMSS Conference: HIT Gets Personal - Consumer Centric Technology


Thursday, April 3, 2008; Digital Sandbox Conference Center

Click here to register online.

Program

8 - 9: Breakfast

9 - 9:15: President's Message

William Delaney, HIMSS NY President

9:15 - 9:30: Advocacy Update

Christopher Harris, HIMSS NY Advocay Liaison & President Elect

9:30 - 10:30: Keynote Speaker

Lori M. Evans, MPH, MPP, serves as a Deputy Commissioner of the New York State Department of Health leading a new Office of Health Information Technology Transformation (OHITT). OHITT, created by Governor Spitzer in 2007, is responsible for government and private sector efforts to support improvements in health care quality, affordability and outcomes for all New Yorkers through widespread deployment of health information technology.

11:00 - 12:00: Break Out Session 1: Personal Health Record

• Moderator: Ken Ong, MD, MPH
• Description: The personal health record is a core technology for the consumer. A plethora of offerings are now available from commercial vendors, health care systems, and payers. What is the level of adoption? What successes have been won? What challenges remain? Is there one ideal technology venue for the PHR? What are the drivers for the PHR? What use cases apply?
• Panelists: Adrian Gropper, MD, MedCommons; Abha Agrawal, MD, Kings County Hospital Center; Glen Martin, MD, Queens Health Network

11:00 - 12:00: Break Out Session 2: Legal Aspect of Privacy Issues

• Moderator: Chris Harris
• Description: As Personal Health Records become increasingly more available to the consumer, there a number of legal considerations that will affect consumer views of privacy and hence adoption. This panel will explore questions and implications for consumer privacy based on use and current state of law in terms of protection and governance. Topics will include: what are consumer rights to privacy exist when using a PHR? How do these rights or risks change as the sponsoring agency changes; health insurance company, pharmaceutical company, Search software company?
• Panelists: Paul F. Macielak, President and CEO, New York Health Plan Association; Al Mercado, NY Bar Association; Peter Poleto, Vice President and CIO, Hospital Association of New York State

1:45 - 2:45: Break Out Session 3: The Consumer and Health Information Exchange

• Moderator: Ken Ong, MD, MPH
• Description: Health information exchange is a hot topic for HIT nationally. The promise of improved coordination, efficiency, and cost savings has prompted the formation of more than a hundred RHIOs. Most of which are still in development but a notable few are no more. What stake does the consumer have in HIE? What role should the consumer have in RHIOs? What information should and should not be accessible to the consumer, provider, payer, or government? Who should pay for HIE? What future do you see for HIE? What association is there if any between HIE and health care reform more broadly?
• Panelists: Sally E. Findley, PhD, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University; Arthur Levin, MPH, Center for Medical Consumers; Rachael Block, New York eHealth Collaborative

1:45 - 2:45: Break Out Session 4: Government Initiatives in Consumer Health

• Moderator: Sal Volpe, MD
• Description: Since 2004, there have been an increasing number of Government initiatives related to health information technology. Some examples include grants and the formation of national, statewide and local government agencies. What more can government do to foster the creation and acceptance of standards related to interoperability and privacy? What partnerships are available or are being planned with private industry and personal health records? How are consumer groups represented in the planning process for government initiatives? What initiatives are being planned to bring HIT access to the poor and underserved?
• Panelists: Pat Hale, MD, PhD, Deputy Director of HIT Transformation, New York State Department of Health; Farzad Mostashari, MD, Assistant Commissioner and Chair of the Primary Care Information Taskforce, New York City DOMH; George Hickman, CIO, Albany Medical Center

3:00 - 4:00: Breakout Session 5: Patient Portal

• Moderator: Leanne Currie, DNSc
• Patient portals come in an assortment of variations. Health care providers, health plans, and patient education web sites offer different functionality. What value do these different offerings provide? What challenges do patient portal providers confront? What privacy and legal concerns exist for patient portals? What services do patient portals now provide? What new services might they provide in the future? What promise do patient portals have for public health?
• Panelists: David Kaufman, PhD, DBMI, Columbia University; Melinda Jenkins, PhD, Coordinator of Consumer Informatics, New York City DOMH; Noel C. Brown MD, MBA, Montefiore Medical Group

4:00 - 6:00: Vendor Exhibition & Cocktail Reception

Sponsoring health care organizations:

• American College of Physicians, NY Chapter
• CAIM/Columbia Center for Advanced Information Management
• Greater New York Hospital Association
• HANYS/Healthcare Association of NY State
• HFMA Metro NY/Healthcare Financial Management Association
• IPRO/Island Peer Review Organization
• LIHIMA/Long Island Health Information Management Association
• MSSNY/ Medical Society State of NY
• MINY/Medical Informatics of NY
• NJ HIMSS
• NY eHealth Collaborative
• NYHIMA/NY Health Information Management Association

Click here to register online.

Brooklyn Health Information Exchange Selects Initiate Systems to Achieve Single, Accurate View of Patients

BHIX's approach should be followed closely as Brooklyn has more people than many cities. SV

CHICAGO – 4 February 2008 – The Brooklyn Health Information Exchange (BHIX) – a not-for-profit regional health information organization (RHIO) – has selected Initiate Patient™ software from Initiate Systems, Inc., as the foundational technology for locating, linking and matching of patient records. Initiate Patient is the high-performing enterprise master person index (EMPI) software application from Initiate Systems, a leader in master data management solutions. BHIX, comprised of several healthcare provider and payer organizations in New York, will offer health information exchange services in Brooklyn, New York's most populated borough.

Initiate’s technology will help BHIX create the foundational master person index, enabling patient identity resolution and linking of patients across multiple sources of data. Once a patient is uniquely identified and linked, Initiate Patient will also facilitate a portal application and Record Locator Service’s ability to search and establish context on a patient. Care teams will thus share a single, accurate view of any patient participating in BHIX.

Initiate Systems

NYS SENATE BILL: NY SB 708 : promotes e-Prescribing of controlled substances

Please contact your representative. SV

Number: NY SB 708 Title: AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to authorizing the use of the electronic medical records system when issuing certain controlled substances
Abstract: Authorizes the use of an electronic medical records system when dispensing certain schedule II controlled substances; defines "electronic medical records system"; authorizes physicians with patients receiving Medicaid to dispense prescriptions through such electronic medical records system.

Introduced by Sen. NOZZOLIO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Health

AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to authorizing the
use of the electronic medical records system when issuing certain
controlled substances

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

1 Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section
2 3335 to read as follows:
3 S 3335. ISSUING UPON PRESCRIPTIONS VIA ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS
4 SYSTEM. 1. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE TERM "ELECTRONIC
5 MEDICAL RECORDS SYSTEM" SHALL MEAN AN ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS SYSTEM
6 WHICH ENABLES A PHYSICIAN TO CONSOLIDATE RECORD KEEPING.
7 2. A PHYSICIAN MAY DISPENSE DIRECTLY TO A PHARMACY ANY CONTROLLED
8 SUBSTANCE PRESCRIPTION PURSUANT TO AN ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS SYSTEM.
9 3. IF A PHYSICIAN OPTS TO ISSUE PRESCRIPTIONS PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION
10 TWO OF THIS SECTION, SUCH PHYSICIAN SHALL BE ELIGIBLE AND PERMITTED TO
11 ISSUE ANY AND ALL PRESCRIPTIONS THROUGH SUCH ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS
12 SYSTEM, INCLUDING PRESCRIPTIONS FOR PATIENTS RECEIVING MEDICAID.
13 S 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
14 have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediately, the
15 addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary
16 for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized
17 and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.

NYS Assembly

InfoWorld tries to extend the life of Windows XP


If you are willing to sign a petition that includes your email click on the link.
Windows XP shrink version sales currently expires June 2008. SV


InfoWorld

NY HIMSS Seminar: “HIT Gets Personal: Consumer-Centric Technology” April 3, 2008

Save the Date -

As we all know, Health Information Technology can transform our health care system. Prepare for consumer-centric and information-rich health care, in which medical information follows the consumer and information tools guide medical decisions.

Save the date to attend this year’s NY HIMSS seminar which will be held on Thursday April 3, 2008 at the Digital Sandbox at 55 Broad Street in downtown Manhattan, we will host a full day conference, “HIT Gets Personal: Consumer-Centric Technology”.

Planning for our event is underway and we expect over 300 local healthcare information technology professionals to attend. We are in the process of securing some of our industry’s most knowledgeable speakers on HIT and Consumerism.

This year’s event is being co-sponsored by the following local healthcare organizations:

• American College of Physicians, NY Chapter
• CAIM/Columbia Center for Advanced Information Management
• HANYS/Healthcare Association of NY State
• HFMA Metro NY/Healthcare Financial Management Association
• IPRO/Island Peer Review Organization
• MSSNY/ Medical Society State of NY
• LIHIMA/Long Island Health Information Management Association
• MINY/Medical Informatics of NY
• NJ HIMSS
• NY eHealth Collaborative
• NYHIMA/NY Health Information Management Association

Please visit www.himssnys.org for further details. Further communications will be forthcoming.

We hope to see you April 3rd in downtown Manhattan.

Marriott hotels to offer ActiveHealth Management's PHR to 50,000 employees.

Yet another employer that realizes the value of the PHR.
No word yet on the ability to migrate the data from this PHR to another.
One of the system's goals is to look for "gaps" in care or potential drug/supplement/disease interactions and notify both the member and the physician. SV

ActiveHealth Management

UnitedHealth Group's Online Personal Health Messages Tied to Increased Likelihood of Individuals

Email reminders via a Patient or Physician Portal are an excellent way to remind patients to avail themselves of preventative medicine services. SV

For example, women who opened their messages were 68-percent more likely to get a mammogram and 63-percent more likely to get a cervical cancer screening. The study compares CDH plan participants who accessed their online health messages throughout 2006 with those who were sent messages but did not open them.


Also, enrollees approaching their 50th birthday received a special message reminding them of a series of recommended preventive tests for their age group. Data show that members who opened this message were:

82-percent more likely to get a cervical cancer screening;
31-percent more likely to get a cholesterol screening;
71-percent more likely to have an office visit in which their blood pressure is checked.


UHC

Bridges to Excellence Launches Medical Home Program

Get electronic, do it right and earn up to $125.00 per patient per year! SV

Washington – Today Bridges to Excellence (BTE), the nation’s largest effort to reward physicians for delivery of high quality care, announced its support of the medical home approach to providing health care by launching the BTE Medical Home Program. The initiative will reward physicians that demonstrate they have adopted really good systems and processes of care, and are using those systems to deliver positive results in the management of their patients – in particular patients with chronic conditions.

BTE

Taking HIT to the next level

The Medical Society of the State of New York, in an effort to enhance the knowledge of physicians concerning the importance of adopting interoperative Health Information Technology (HIT), has received continued grant funding from the New York State Department of Health to educate physicians on the means and importance of integrating electronic medical records and electronic prescribing technologies into their practices.

Participants who attend the two-hour CME presentation will be exposed to information and tools to assist their practice with the EHR planning, selection and implementation processes.


Kings CMS

1/31/08

6:30pm

Lai Yuen

Brooklyn

Linda Smith

718-745-5800


Bronx ACP/Bronx CMS
2/20/08

6:00pm

Mario's

Bronx

Diane Miller

718-548-4401

Queens CMS
2/26/08

6:00pm

Sheraton LaGuardia

Queens

Janine Regosin

718-268-7300

Nassau Academy of Med
3/19/08

6:00pm

Chateau Brian

Carle Palce

Mark Cappola

516-832-2300


Orleans CMS

TBA

TBA

Dr. Marie Crea

716-285-5780


Westchester CMS

3/26/08

6:00pm


Pleasantville CC

Pleasantville

Denise ONeill

914-967-9100

Suffolk CMS

5/7/08

6:00pm

Holiday Inn

Ronkonkoma

Stu Friedman

631-851-1400


New York CMS
5/13/08

6:00pm


PekingPark

New York

Natalie Ruoff

212-684-4670



Queens Family Physicians
5/20/08

6:00pm


Akbar Rest

Garden City

Mark Dumbleton

718-322-2903

MSSNY

CCHIT INPATIENT EHR: UPDATED LIST

company (product version) date certified

Cerner Corporation
(Cerner Millennium PowerChart 2007) 1/22/2008

Computer Programs and Systems, Inc. (CPSI)
(CPSI System, 15) 11/5/2007

Eclipsys Corporation
(Sunrise Acute Care, 4.5 SP4) 11/5/2007

Epic Systems Corporation
(EpicCare Inpatient, Spring 2007) 11/5/2007

Healthcare Management Systems, Inc.
(Healthcare Management Systems, 7.0) 11/5/2007

MEDITECH
(Advanced Clinical Systems, MAGIC 5.6) 1/22/2008

Siemens Medical Solutions USA Inc.
(Soarian Clinicals 2.0C5 with Siemens Pharmacy and Med Administration Check 24.0) 11/5/2007

Pre-market conditionally certified products*
company (product version) date certified

Prognosis Health Information Systems
(ChartAccess 1.0) 11/5/2007

Siemens Medical Solutions USA Inc.
(INVISION Clinicals Version 27.0 with Siemens Pharmacy and Med Administration Check (MAK), Version 24.0) 1/22/2008

CCHIT

MedPlus to Implement Clinical Portal and Information Exchange for the Brooklyn Health Information Exchange (BHIX)

MADISON, N.J., Jan. 11, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- MedPlus, the healthcare information technology subsidiary of Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE: DGX), today announced that it has been awarded a contract to implement a clinical portal and information exchange for the Brooklyn Health Information Exchange (BHIX). Organized by Maimonides Medical Center and other healthcare organizations in New York, the BHIX is a not-for-profit corporation that will offer health information exchange services in Brooklyn, New York State's most populous borough. The MedPlus system will enable physicians and other healthcare workers to securely collect, manage and share patient information in real time from Internet-enabled locations across the BHIX's eleven partner organizations.
"Technology can optimize patient care, minimize the risk of medical errors, and reduce administrative and other operating costs," said Pamela Brier, president of Maimonides Medical Center and chairperson of the board of directors of the BHIX. "Our goal for the BHIX is to provide exceptional patient care and service through the strategic deployment of technology, and we believe MedPlus is the right vendor to help us achieve this goal."

Medplus

RelayHealth expands partnerships with CIGNA and Aetna


CIGNA HealthCare to Offer National “Virtual House Calls” Program Through RelayHealth

Aetna Expands Availability of RelayHealth’s Secure Online Messaging and Consultations Nationwide, Includes Specialists

Aetna coverage for RelayHealth online visits will be available to most fully insured plan members. Self-insured plan sponsors may choose to participate.

CIGNA

Aetna

CMS (Medicare) Home Health Pay for Performance demonstration


The Home Health Pay for Performance demonstration will offer incentive payments to a sample of Medicare home health agencies for maintaining high levels of quality care, or making significant improvement s in the quality of their services. HHP4P will be conducted in Illinois, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, California between Jan. 08 and Dec. 09.

An incentive pool will be generated out of savings accrued from the reduction in the use of more costly Medicare services. The pool will be shared with home health agencies that produced the highest level of patient care or produced the greatest improvement in patient care as measured by seven OASIS measures.

• Incidence of Acute Care Hospitalization
• Incidence of Any Emergent Care
• Improvement in Bathing
• Improvement in Ambulation / Locomotion
• Improvement in Transferring
• Improvement in Management of Oral Medications
• Improvement in Status of Surgical Wounds

Seventy-five percent of the incentive pool will be shared with those agencies in the top 20% of the highest level of patient care. Twenty-five percent of the incentive pool will be shared with the top 20% of those making the biggest improvements in patient care. If there are no savings, there will be no incentives.

CMS

Maine Governor John E. Baldacci Congratulates New England Telehealth Consortium on Health Care Grant

As broadband technology evolves, the ability to network rural area on a limited budget has significantly improved. SV

BANGOR - Governor John E. Baldacci congratulated the New England Telehealth Consortium today for receiving a $24.6 million Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rural health care grant. The grant is the largest award issued by the FCC under the Rural Health Care Pilot Program. The Consortium’s winning proposal calls for the connection of rural and urban nonprofit health care centers in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.

ProInfoNet of Bangor developed the coalition that sought the award. The New England Telehealth Consortium consists of 31 members, representing 555 health care sites in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, including hospitals, the University of Maine, the University of New England, The Jackson Laboratory and others. The consortium will link regional health care providers with urban public practices, research institutions, academic institutions and medical specialists to provide greater efficiency in the sharing of information relevant to health care applications. Once the network is complete, the opportunity exists to connect with a similar network in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Maine