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HIMSS Innovation Center Advances Interoperability
The HIMSS Innovation Center will provide ongoing services for health delivery organizations and health IT companies, along with exhibitions, educational programming, and consumer-oriented applications. In addition, the year-round interoperability showcase and exhibition space will further validate functionality for new and developing products using standards and customized testing in both a physical and virtual demonstration environment. HIMSS will be leasing 12,500 square feet of the Global Center for Health Innovation for its Innovation Center in Cleveland, OH. HIMSS plans to double the size of the exhibition space by 2016. Click the link above to learn more.

HIMSS, AHIMA Identify HIE Staffing Trends
With the escalation of healthcare reform initiatives such as HITECH and the Affordable Care Act, healthcare information exchange (HIE) organizations have become prime employers for both aspiring and experienced HIM and HIT professionals. Noting this trend, AHIMA and HIMSS established a joint workgroup to explore both current and planned HIE staffing models. The result is a new white paper, Trends in Health Information Exchange Organizational Staffing: AHIMA/HIMSS HIE Staffing Model Environmental Scan. The paper discussed the need for more formal research on the education, training, resources, talent, and experience needed to effectively and efficiently staff HIE organizations. The paper also includes recommendations for moving the industry forward and serves those seeking employment focused on data exchange or HIE activities or exploring education, training, and certification opportunities in this area. Click the link above to read the white paper.

Minnesota Beacon a True Partner to Patients
Embracing the slogan; "A Truce Partner to Patients," the Southeast Minnesota (SE MN) Beacon Community took a conversational approach to developing a slate of community activities in its region. SE MN Beacon did not impose an action plan on the patients and stakeholders within its boundaries. Instead, they used "meaningful conversation" to emphasize a patient-centric orientation, according to Christopher Chute, MD, professor of medical informatics at Mayo Clinic and the principal investigator at SE MN Beacon. SE MN Beacon includes 5 health systems, 11 counties and public health departments, as well as 47 school districts. All providers in the region are partnering and participating in the Beacon. Click the link above to learn more.

HIMSS13—Post-Show News

Leading Matters: On the Success of HIMSS13
Preliminary attendance numbers for the 2013 Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition in New Orleans showed more than 34,600 total attendees, with 13,900 professional attendees and 1,158 exhibiting companies. In a blog posted during the final day of the conference, HIMSS President and CEO H. Stephen Lieber, CAE, elaborated on his perspective of HIMSS13 and offered a preview of HIMSS14 in Orlando. Please click on the link above to access the video.

HIMSS14 Set for Orlando
The 2014 Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition is set for Feb. 23-27, 2014, in Orlando, Florida. If you are considering attending the Orlando event, you might want to book early and take advantage of great rates on hotel rooms. Housing is open to attendees at this time with only a credit card guarantee (and your credit card will not be charged until two weeks prior to HIMSS14). Exhibitor bookings will commence this summer. For more information, please click the link above.

Purchase Your HIMSS13 Session Recordings Package Today
For $399, you can purchase the HIMSS13 session recording package. The package contains more than 200 general education sessions, including sessions from Views from the Top, EHR Best Practices, Senior IT Executive sessions, HIT X.0—Beyond the Edge, Leading From the Future, the Patient Experience through HIT Forum, HIMSS13 Online, e-sessions, and more. Session recordings include audio synchronized with the presenter's slide presentation. Sessions from HIT X.0 include video as well. You will be able to download a PDF of the session handout as well as an MP3 file of the audio. This package does not include keynote sessions, pre–conference sessions, 300–level roundtable sessions, or sessions that were not authorized for release by the presenters. Select sessions will be certified as enduring credit for physician and nursing continuing education (CE) and Professional Development Units (PDUs). All session recordings may be applied to CPHIMS CE as well as CHCIO CEUs. Please click the link above for ordering information.

HIMSS13 Online Continues On-Demand Access Until June 7
HIMSS13 Online, the virtual extension to the 2013 Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition in New Orleans, wrapped up the live portion of the event yesterday. HIMSS13 Online provides access to select portions of both live and on-demand events for only $39. This is an amazing deal that you can't miss! Participants can gain valuable information and engage with peers as they seek out practical solutions to healthcare's most demanding challenges. On-demand access to select portions of HIMSS13 Online will be available until June 7. Please click on the link above to learn more.

Showcase Connection

IHE NA Connectathon Expands to Advance Interoperability of EHRs
Significant steps were taken toward advancing the interoperability EHRs at the 2013 Integrating the Health Enterprice (IHE) North American (NA) Connectathon and Conference that took place January 28 - February 2 in Chicago. IHE USA's 14th annual interoperability testing event introduced several new features to complement the events core foundation- conformance testing of IHE profiles. This year, eight IHE domains were tested on 160+ systems among 550 of the industry's top engineers. New features included testing of HL7's Consolidated Clinical Document Architecture (C–CDA) and the IHE USA Certificaiton Pilot Program.Click the link above to read more.

IHE USA Certification Testing Proves Successful at the North American Connectathon
IHE USA successfully completed the inaugural Certification Testing event held in conjunction with the recent IHE 2013 North American Connectathon in Chicago. Eight vendors participated in this first-ever pilot event, and performed testing to specified requirements for the IHE USA Certification pilot conducted by ICSA Labs, a third-party testing and certification body. Click the link above to read more.

IHE USA and Health Story Project Advance Sharing of the Patient Story at IHE NA Connectathon 2013
Consolidated Clinical Document Architecture (C-CDA), a Meaningful Use Stage 2 requirement, was offered for the first time in collaboration with Health Story Project and Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise USA (IHE USA) at the 2013 Connectathon in Chicago. Eighteen vendors and 27 systems passed rigorous testing and made significant steps to achieve interoperability and Meaningful Use Stage 2 requirements. Click the link above to read more.

Consolidated CDA Results Summary
Consolidated CDA test results are now available! View full test results at the link above. For more information regarding C-CDA testing specifications and document types, visit the IHE USA Consolidated CDA webpage.

IHE Profile Results Database
IHE profile testing results are now available in the searchable IHE Connectathon Results Database. Review your NA Connectathon 2013 entry online. Click the link above to learn more.

ONC's S&I Framework Praises IHE USA Certification Pilot
In an article entitled "Debrief on the 2013 IHE Connectathon," published in the February S&I Framework Newsletter, the new IHE USA Certification pilot receives praise as a "powerful model for the health IT industry," and for taking "another step toward advancing interoperability." Additionally, the article features information on the practical application of certification testing as well as highlights from the North American Connectathon 2013. Click the link above to learn more.

New IHE USA White Paper Examines CCD Exchange between Different Care Settings & Vendors
The healthcare industry has been working for decades to align data and clinical content to improve coordinated care. The HITECH Act and Meaningful Use Stage 2 require the use of Continuity of Care Document (CDD) and set the foundation for standards-based clinical content. This white paper, Establishing Communities of Health Through Live Exchange of Patient Summaries, presented by IHE USA in collaboration with Greenway Medical Technologies and Epic examines one project in which live CCD exchanges occur between a hospital and group practice using separate EHR systems from different EHR developers. Click the link above to learn more.

Video: Fridsma Comments on HIMSS13 Interoperability Showcase
Doug Fridsma, MD, PhD, FACP, FACMI, Chief Science Officer and Director of the Office of Science and Technology, shares his thoughts on the HIMSS13 Interoperability Showcase. Click the link above to view the video.

Video: Mostashari Comments on HIMSS13 Interoperability Showcase
Farzad Mostashari, MD, the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, shares his thoughts on the HIMSS13 Interoperability Showcase. Click the link above to view the video.

Policy Pulse

EHR Interoperability, Innovation at the VA: Peter Levin Q&A
By Kyle Murphy, PhD, EHR Intelligence
This interview with Peter Levin, Senior Advisor to the Secretary and Chief Technology Officer at the VA, explores the obstacles in the way of achieving true interoperability between the VA and other systems. Although there are significant technical obstacles to be resolved, Levin reveals that the top challenge actually comes down to transforming attitudes about health IT to accommodate changing time and technology. Click the link above to read the interview.

CMS Calls for Comments on HIEs
By Anthony Brino, Associate Editor, Healthcare Payer News and Government Health IT
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT have published a joint request for information (RFI) asking industry stakeholders for suggestions on what the federal government should be doing to advance health information exchange. In addition to seeking public input, the RFI also discusses several potential new policies and ideas to accelerate interoperability and exchange of a patient's health information across care settings so that they can deliver better and more affordable care to their patients. "Through the RFI, we are interested in hearing about policies that could provide an even greater business case for such information sharing," said Dr. Mostashari. Comments are due on this RFI by no later than April 21, 2013. Click the link to read the article.

AHIMA HIP Week in Washington, D.C.
The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) will honor and celebrate health information professionals during the 24th annual Health Information Professionals (HIP) Week March 17‒23, 2013. This year's theme is "Accurate Data, Excellent Care." HIP Week 2013 will coincide with AHIMA's Hill Day, an event where AHIMA members visit Capitol Hill and share the importance of advancing HIM. Click the link above to learn more.

ONC Releases Health Information Exchange Toolkit for Rural Providers
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) has announced the release of a new rural health information exchange (HIE) toolkit. Click the link above to learn more.

Volunteer Exchange

HIMSS Interoperability Maturity Model Work Group Seeks Members
The Interoperability Maturity Model Work Group has been recently established by the Interoperability & Standards (I&S) Committee. This work group will examine applicable maturity models and develop an Interoperability Maturity Model to accelerate our industry's interoperability goals and promote the adoption of electronic medical records. Participation is open to all active HIMSS members and the work group will meet monthly via teleconference. If you are interested in volunteering for the Interoperability Maturity Model (IMM) Work Group, please e-mail the I&S Committee liaison, Mary-Ellen Devitt Johnson.

Participants Needed for I&S Committee Work Groups
The new Interoperability & Standards (I&S) Committee is looking for volunteers to serve on a variety of work groups including: HIMSS Interoperability Policy Section (HIPS) Work Group; Enterprise Architecture (EA) Work Group; I&S Section for mobile Health Work Group (see the mHIMSS Roadmap); Health IT Standards (Standards) Work Group (TBD); and the Technical Information Exchange (Tech-IE) Work Group (TBD). If you would like to volunteer to serve on any of the I&S Committee Work Groups please contact Mary-Ellen Devitt Johnson at the e-mail link above or complete the online Work Group Volunteer Sign-up form.