National Health IT Week (NHIT Week) is a nationwide awareness week focused on catalyzing actionable change within the U.S. health system through the application of information and technology. National Health IT Week stakeholders collaborate towards actionable outcomes which demonstrate the power information and technology has to transform health in the U.S., and its wide-reaching global impact.

In honor of NHIT Week, HIMSS strongly encourages you to participate in the HIMSS Virtual March on the States! Urge your state legislators to leverage information and technology to combat the complexities of the opioid epidemic. It takes two minutes to complete, yet it will have a big impact.
We are encouraging state legislators to:

1. Enact or broaden adoption of electronic prescribing of controlled substances;
2. Integrate prescription drug monitoring programs into electronic health records;
3. Leverage telehealth to increase access to treatment and address provider shortages; and
4. Create an integrated data infrastructure across public health, behavioral health, justice and human services to enhance timely opioid crisis response and prevention.

Take Action Here!

After you participate, encourage your network to join the march. Here’s a sample post:
I urged my state legislators to address the opioid crisis affecting our communities every day. Join me and make your voice heard through the @HIMSS Virtual March! https://bit.ly/2N5Ed6t #NHITweek #GovHIT

Take your participation a step further by:

• Update your social media image with the #NHITWeek Avatar
• Share your #IHeartHIT Story
• Attend NHIT Week Events 

The Evolution of National Health IT Week: Tom Leary, vice president of government relations at HIMSS discusses the evolution of National Health IT Week and its tranformation from an idea to an actionable initiative.
How HIMSS is Helping Expand Access to Quality Care
HIMSS Congressional Affairs experts Samantha Burch and David Gray discuss expanding access to quality care in the U.S. – a key point of engagement during NHIT Week 2018.

#NHITWeek Partner Guest Blog Submissions:
CDC: Leveraging Information Technology to Improve Vaccination Rates in America’s Communities
Vocera: Transforming Healthcare Communication to Improve Patient Care
Sentry Data Systems: An Interwoven Problem: The Pain and Opioid Crises
Infor Health Solutions: Nothing Artificial: Using Artificial Intelligence and Streaming Analytics to Improve Healthcare Costs and Outcomes #NHITWeek
Read more #NHITWeek content here.

The tenth annual Connected Health Conference is one week away! This year’s event will focus on Balancing Technology and the Human Element, showcasing forward-thinking approaches and technologies that are driving integration of connected health into consumer health and care delivery. Three full days of deep dive sessions, keynotes and new product demos will focus on digital therapeutics, emerging tech, behavior change, blockchain, remote patient monitoring, virtual visits, artificial intelligence and more. Learn more about conference hot topics and explore an overview of the event program here.

Receive $200 off with code CHCMEM200 and register today!

Participate in an on-site focus group hosted by HIMSS Corporate Members. Share your thoughts and gain insight from other participants – and walk away with a $100 eGift card! With 52 sessions available, ranging from topics on blockchain to connected health to precision medicine, your valuable feedback will help guide and influence market supplier decisions.
•          Have your opinions heard – and acted on – by industry leaders
•          Gain insight from other participants on the topics that matter most to you
•          Earn a $100 eGift card for sharing your time and ideas

Opt in during HIMSS19 registration. You will be selected and contacted based on your interests and job-related demographics.

Past focus group attendees said: “Excellent session. Everyone participated and provided valuable information. I learned a lot, and I hope I was able to contribute to the education of others.”

“This was by far the best focus group I have ever attended. I gained so much information to help me in my job.”

For more information, please contact Chandra Guha or Amenia Army.

On Wednesday, October 3, the Senate passed comprehensive legislation, approved by the House last month, to combat the opioid crisis – paving the way for the bipartisan, bicameral bill to be signed into law. Read more here.

We all do! Electronic health records (EHRs) were designed to facilitate workflows, record narrative and capture data. More specifically, to capture discrete data such as machine processable vital signs, laboratory test values, patient demographic information and binary data points such as smoking status.
What are the benefits of sharing clinical notes?

Read recent innovation-focused content featuring perspectives from HIMSS thought leaders:

Healthcare Innovation: It’s the People

Protecting health information is both art and science. Hospitals also have to safeguard against the next big threat and there’s really no way to know what it will look like or when it will come. That’s why HIMSS Media is shifting their focus for October to cybersecurity – to keep you ready for what comes your way. 
With access to top security leaders and a pulse on what’s important, here’s a glimpse of what you can expect for Cybersecurity Month:

• We’ll talk to infosec executives and experts about the problems and practical steps to securing sensitive data
• We’ll get advice about what to do (and what not to do) during and after a security incident
• We’ll take a look at emerging trends within the space
• And don’t miss the Healthcare Security Forum in Boston – it’s in two weeks! As a weekly insider subscriber you get $200 with the code INSIDER

In the latest episode of STEPS To Value, “Driving Venture Success Through Diversity,” Lisa Suennen, Managing Partner at Venture Valkyrie, LLC discusses the delicate balance between success and failure for healthcare and technology start-ups and the impact that intention has on creating companies that last.

Listen to the podcast, and learn more about how health IT brings value to organizations on the HIMSS Value Suite site.

HIMSS asked attendees from the HIMSS Global Conference & Exhibition in 2018 to share the personal and professional successes that stemmed from attending conference – from challenges faced to changes made. In our latest post, a pain clinic shared how it developed its strategy for implementing a cybersecurity framework with help from knowledge and insights gained from attending the HIMSS Global Conference.

The Case for a Cybersecurity Framework
It’s All About the Patient
Preparing Students for Industry Needs: How One University Integrated HIMSS Resources Into the Curriculum
Reimagining the Role and Function of Clinical Communications in Care Delivery
I’m in a PDMP State of Mind
HIMSS18: One Attendee, Many Perspectives

Connect one-on-one with employers globally at the 2018 HIMSS Virtual Career Fair. The event is complimentary, and you can log in from anywhere via desktop or mobile device. Whether you are looking to break into the industry or are an established professional, the HIMSS Virtual Career Fair has something for you.

• Explore employers and career opportunities for every stage of your career
• Discover career development resources and interactive content in employer virtual booths
• Engage directly and privately with employers via dynamic one-on-one web chats
• Make new connections and broaden your network
• Access archived job openings up to 30 days after the event
  Learn more and register here.

Join the HIMSS Interoperability & HIE Community for presentations on Post-Acute Care Assessment and the Data Element Library and Maximizing the Role of Health IT in the Fight Against the Opioid Crisis.
Join our speakers from CMS and EHRA.

Last chance to register!  Are you thinking about pursuing your CAHIMS certification? Join us for a four-part virtual CAHIMS Review Course series beginning on Tuesday, October 9. Each two hour class will cover a review of the CAHIMS competency areas using materials from the CAHIMS Review Guide and other supplementary materials. Sessions will be led by a certified instructor who will bring industry specific experience to the conversation to enhance learning. All sessions will occur from 11:00a – 1:00p CT and will occur on 10/9, 10/11, 10/16 and 10/18. Sessions will be recorded should you not be able to attend a specific date/time. Cost to attend is $175 for HIMSS members and $225 for non-members. To learn more or to register for this series, click here.