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Foundation Members:
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August 4, 2010
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At a Glance |
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CHIME Notes |
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The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) would like to welcome you to our healthcare IT executive newsletter! For those of you who are unfamiliar with
our organization, we have started this bi-monthly publication to help readers stay up-to-date on what is happening in the industry. With more than 1,400 members, CHIME is the professional
organization for chief information officers and other senior healthcare IT leaders. CHIME enables its members and business partners to collaborate; exchange ideas; develop professionally;
and advocate the effective use of information management to improve the health and healthcare in the communities they serve.
Read on to find out what 1,400 healthcare CIOs already know, CHIME is the CIO’s voice in the industry.
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CHIME Supports Changes Incorporated into Final Meaningful Use Rule, However Concerns Remain Regarding Stage 1 Objectives |
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Changes included in the final rules governing
the meaningful use objectives for Medicare
and Medicaid incentive programs for electronic
health records will improve the odds that more
providers can qualify for government stimulus
funding.
According to an early analysis by CHIME, the
final rules include desperately needed flexibility
that will give eligible hospitals and healthcare professionals a better opportunity to qualify for incentive funding in the early years of the program.
CHIME was pleased the final rules give providers some flexibility in choosing how to qualify for stimulus funding. The final rules include 14 core objectives for hospitals and 15 for eligible professionals; in addition to achieving those, providers generally must meet five other objectives from a menu of 10 additional objectives.
CHIME believes the flexibility in choice in the final rule provides more opportunity for providers to qualify for funding in the first years of the program. CHIME had voiced concerns about the preliminary rule, which laid out an “all or nothing” approach that would have required providers to meet all meaningful use objectives to qualify for stimulus funding.
Additionally, many of the compliance threshold levels for meaningful use objectives in the proposed rule were relaxed in the final rule, making it easier for healthcare organizations to be rewarded for their early efforts to use EHRs.
While encouraged by the relaxation in objectives for this first stage of the EHR incentive program, CHIME still views the Stage 1 objectives contained in the final rule as an aggressive target for the majority of the nation’s hospitals.
Additionally, CHIME is predicting that many hospitals will have a difficult time qualifying for stimulus funding in subsequent stages of the incentive program, as meaningful use objectives increase in number and become harder to meet, and as other aspects of the stimulus program become more challenging.
CHIME also applauded the relaxation in requirements for reporting quality metrics. Reducing reporting requirements in the early years of the incentive program aligns industry responsibility with current capabilities of commercially available EHR systems and CMS’ own ability to receive quality data electronically.
CMS still needs to clarify some aspects of the final rule, including whether use of computerized provider order entry (CPOE) by a range of medical professionals will enable providers to meet the objective for CPOE usage.
CHIME also supports the inclusion of EHR usage in emergency departments as helping hospitals achieve meaningful use objectives. Because ED patients often become inpatients, the inclusion of ED records is consistent with the goal of improving quality across the continuum of care.
The final rule also puts limitations on states’ abilities to increase certification requirements for EHRs. That’s important for both vendors, which have to create the systems, and for providers that operate sites in more than one state.
CHIME will continue to evaluate the final rules and seek clarification on all the implications of the regulation
To help members sort through the final rule process, CHIME has held two of a series of webinars to explore and discuss in increasing detail the many components of the EHR Incentive Program final rule and its implications for CIOs and their organizations.
Additionally, CHIME has provided an online discussion forum which allows members to post questions and comments surrounding the final rules.
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CHIME-AHA Partner to Publish Action Guide for CEOs on EHR Implementation |
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The American Hospital Association (AHA) and CHIME
released a special joint publication exclusively for
hospitals CEOs in late July at the AHA and Health
Forum’s Annual Leadership Summit in San Diego.
Over the past three months the AHA and CHIME worked
collaboratively to create a guidebook for CEOs on the
HITECH Act and meaningful use implementation. The
handbook entitled, Health Care Leader Action Guide on
Implementation of Electronic Health Records, provides
a readable, actionable, step-by-step guide designed to
assist CEOs and other C-suite executives in the EHR
implementation process.
“Right now, the AHA is focused on how to best help as
many hospitals as possible qualify for the health IT stimulus payments,” said AHA President and CEO Rich Umbdenstock. “This publication will help hospital leaders plot their health IT path to make sure that health IT's full promise is realized.”
The 22-page guide is available for download through the CHIME website here.
“This guide is a valuable resource designed to give CEOs a better understanding of the impact meaningful use and the HITECH act have on their organization and to provide them with fundamental insight on the challenges of implementing an electronic health record,” said CHIME President and CEO Rich Correll. “This is a critical time for CEOs and their fellow C-Suite executives to learn all they can about how to maximize their organization’s success in this unprecedented new environment.”
As an extension of this handbook, CHIME will soon publish its own EHR implementation guide exclusively for CIOs. Available only to members, this handbook will help lead CIOs and healthcare IT executives along the implementation process successfully in order to qualify for HITECH stimulus funding.
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Monmouth Medical Center Welcomes New Jersey Congressman for Hospital Site Visit |
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From left to right: Neal Ganguly, Vice President and CIO at CentraState Healthcare System; Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ); and Paul Garrin, Vice President and CIO at Monmouth Medical Center
Last week, Congressman Frank Pallone of New Jersey observed firsthand health information technology at work during a hospital site visit to Monmouth Medical Center, an affiliate of Saint Barnabas Health Care System (SBHCS), in Long Branch, NJ.
The visit was part of an effort by both CHIME and StateNet to showcase the use of HIT in order to give leaders of Congress a better understanding of the beneficial ways technology is being used, as well as some of the challenges hospitals and CIOs are facing within their district.
Pallone met with various members of SBHCS staff, including Paul Garrin, Monmouth’s Vice President and CIO, as well as Chair of StateNet’s East Coast Region Neal Ganguly, Vice President and CIO at CentraState Healthcare System in Freehold, NJ.
“Congressman Pallone's visit highlighted his support for the use of technology in improving the quality of care delivered to his constituents,” said Ganguly. “He saw the potential patient benefits from interoperable systems within an institution and how those benefits would carry forward between institutions as a key component of ensuring the safe delivery of healthcare to our community.”
The visit included a tour of Monmouth’s new ER and Emergency Department Information Management Solution (EDIMS) system as well as an overview of the center’s CPOE system and HIE program. The group also discussed the planned HIE partnership between CentraState and SBHCS who work collaboratively through the New Jersey Hospital Association and New Jersey HIMSS Chapter to advance the cause of HIT in the State.
“The emergency room expansion and HIT upgrades are having a significant effect on improving the efficiency and quality of healthcare in the community, which I was able to see during my tour of the facility,” said Congressman Pallone (NJ-06).
“The improvements made by this facility will help people to avoid costly emergency room care by coordinating health records between the emergency room and neighboring healthcare center, and by scheduling follow-up appointments at the health center as patients leave the emergency room.”
Pallone, a member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, is Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Health, which oversees public health, biomedical programs, food and drug safety, mental health and research, hospital construction and all healthcare homeland security-related concerns.
“I commend the staff at the Monmouth Medical Center for setting an example of effective implementation of health information technology and continuing to provide a high quality of patient care,” he said.
Garrin added that this was an important and timely visit, providing the Congressman a valuable look at how hospitals are enabling technology to improve the quality and efficiency of care.
“It was a great pleasure to accompany Congressman Pallone on a tour of Monmouth Medical Center’s Emergency Department,” said Garrin. “We were able to demonstrate our EDIMS Emergency Department System and discuss plans for linking
it directly to our Cerner Clinical Information System. Interfacing the two systems will improve patient care by enabling our physicians to login to one system for a comprehensive
view of Emergency Department patient data and share that data with other hospitals as needed. This upgrade will also help us achieve the meaningful use requirement of the HITECH Act.
I am thankful to Neal Ganguly, CIO of CentraState Health System, and the CHIME organization for helping to arrange this important visit.”
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CHIME10 - Leading Healthcare CIOs on the Road to Meaningful Use |
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To help CIOs lead the deployment of EHR technology under the recently released meaningful use guidelines, the CHIME10 Fall CIO Forum has put together a first class program, with a major emphasis on HITECH.
With guests like Dr. David Blumenthal and ONC's Doug Fridsma, two HITECH-focused Town Hall meetings, track sessions and overall networking with peers, CHIME10 is an invaluable educational experience for healthcare IT executives.
The CHIME10 Fall CIO Forum will be held October 5-8 in Phoenix, Ariz., at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort and Spa.
To join CHIME today and connect with many of your peers this fall, visit https://cio-chime.org/joinchime/index.asp.
For more CHIME10 information, including detailed descriptions of our keynote speakers, click here.
*To qualify, your completed CHIME membership application must be turned in by October 1 (including appropriate documentation).
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Special Discount Offer for Fall CHCIO Exam |
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Your chance to elevate yourself professionally and become a
certified CIO is just around the corner. Register today for the
CHIME10 Fall CIO Forum and receive a $100 discount on the
CHCIO examination at a special rate of $200. This offer,
which runs until September 20, 2010, is good for both CHIME10 and Fall 2010 Boot Camp attendees.
CHIME members who have been in a healthcare CIO or equivalent position for at least 3 years and want to enhance their professional stature are eligible to become certified.
The CHCIO examination will be held on Thursday, October 7, 2010 at 7:00 am in Phoenix.
Join CHIME today to receive this special offer by visiting https://cio-chime.org/joinchime/index.asp.
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Healthcare CIO Boot Camp –Enhancing Professional Growth and Development |
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To help CIOs and their direct reports flourish professionally, the CHIME Healthcare CIO Boot Camp is the most informative, incisive, and interactive opportunity available for healthcare CIO development.
This rewarding 2 1/2 program guides participants through a logical progression of learning founded on a model of CIO success pioneered by CHIME. The teachings are equally appropriate for current CIOs looking to sharpen and enhance their leadership skills.
The fall session of the Healthcare CIO Boot Camp will be held October 2-5, 2010 at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort in Phoenix, AZ prior to the CHIME10 Fall CIO Forum.
For those who are serious about achieving excellence at the highest level, the Healthcare CIO Boot Camp will equip you with the tools needed for success. And because no other professional organization
offers healthcare-specific CIO education, this program is a uniquely tailored to your specific needs.
To assist in helping current and potential CIOs move ahead in the healthcare IT profession, CHIME has over seven scholarships available to attend the Fall Boot Camp session.
More information can be found by visiting the CHIME Scholarships page here.
To learn more about the Healthcare CIO Boot Camp, visit the CHIME website or call our office (734) 665-0000.
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CHIME Supports State-Level Communications for CIOs and IT Execs with StateNet Website |
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The latest StateNet participation figures confirmed that CIOs
and healthcare IT leaders around the nation are responding
well to CHIME’s online CIO State Network to enhance
communication on important state matters related to the
HITECH Act and other key state HIT initiatives.
Since going live in March, the network now has more than 450 registrants. Colorado, lead by Poudre Valley Health System CIO Russ Branzell, is the forerunner of the states with 37 participants made up of 19 CHIME members and 18 non-members. The states of Florida and Illinois are a close second with 33 enrolled. Other notable states include Washington (32), New York (25) and Texas (22).
The site enables all CIOs, whether CHIME members or not, public access to information, communication and coordination among IT executives at the state level. The network has at least one CHIME CIO State Coordinator for all 50 states, including the District of Columbia.
With the purpose to ensure CIOs are kept informed of events in their states, StateNet helps hospitals and health systems take full advantage of state-level activities under the HITECH Act and enables CIOs in states to share important information on their states, while helping CIOs to share intelligence between states as well.
To support CIO leaders in each state, CHIME has developed a toolkit to help them gather basic information about HIT activity in their states, such as identifying the HIT planning authority, strategic and operational plans, state-level directories, and HIE business and operational processes.
In addition to the development of the toolkit, CHIME is providing resource materials, including an inventory of state recovery and HIT websites. CHIME also has developed individual list-serves for each state, and is creating publicly available Web pages for sharing state-specific information.
To become a part of this important statewide health information exchange, visit www.ciostatenet.org today.
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Sign up for CHIME’s CIO SmartBrief Newsletter |
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CHIME's Healthcare CIO SmartBrief is a FREE, bi-weekly e-mail newsletter tailored to healthcare CIOs and IT executives. Our SmartBrief newsletter handpicks key articles from hundreds of publications, providing brief summaries of only the most relevant industry news, with links back to the original sources.
To sign up please click here
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