HIDI Tech Connect - October 20

HIT Committees To Hold Hearings
MHA Staff Contact: Theresa Rogers

The HIT Policy Committee’s Information Exchange Workgroup held a public hearing today to discuss the electronic exchange of laboratory information. The speakers’ presentations are available online.

The HIT Policy Committee will hold a two-day meeting Oct. 27 and Oct. 28 that focuses on specialists, smaller physician practices and small community hospitals. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act requires adoption of health information technology and meaningful use of the information to improve care. To demonstrate meaningful use, the committee will focus on HIT-enabled quality measures that are both process and outcomes oriented. Most of the initial measures proposed for 2011 focused on primary care providers because of the availability of those measures. This hearing seeks input from various groups that may not be adequately addressed by the initial measures, such as specialists, nonphysician practitioners, smaller physician practices, safety-net providers and small community hospitals.

The HIT Standards Committee’s Implementation Workgroup will hold a hearing Oct. 29 on the “adoption experience.”

HIDI’s CIO Forum Focuses On HITECH Incentives
MHA Staff Contact: Theresa Rogers

Health information technology is at the forefront of health care reform efforts. At this forum sponsored by HIDI, participants will learn the most current information about the HITECH incentives while networking with other chief information officers from hospitals statewide.

Because this forum is being held in conjunction with MHA’s 87th Annual Convention & Trade Show, participants must register for the convention to attend the forum. In addition, the Exhibit Hall at this year’s trade show features an IT Corner. Visit the featured vendors in the IT Corner to learn how your hospital can successfully implement HIT solutions.