HIMSS-HOA has a membership located throughout the mid-west regional area. Members represent hospitals of all sizes, managed care organizations, integrated delivery systems, non-profit healthcare organizations, as well organizations who provide solutions for the many challenges that exist in healthcare.
Each year our membership and board organize a number of programs involving speakers and experts on a variety of topics. If you are within the correct geographic location and wish to join, please visit the national HIMSS web site www.himss.org to apply or contact one of our board members for additional information. All the necessary information is available on the national HIMSS site to help you in deciding the appropriate chapter for your location.
Congratulation to the 2010 - 2011 HOA HIMSS Board! We have just wrapped up elections and here are the results.
President
John Fox, Senior Account Manager, Healthcare - AT&T
Past President
Doug Burkott, Program Manager - Sentillion/Microsoft
President Elect
T. Paul Rohrer, Jr., IS Analyst - Saint Luke's Health System
Programming Co-Chair
Paul Klehn, CIO - HCA
Programming Co-Chair
Martin Cooper, Healthcare Services - Alexander Open Systems
Secretary
Linda Gerber, Division Manager, Contracts - Associated Purchasing Services / Kansas Hospital Assoc.
Treasurer
Kelly Gentry, Managing Partner - Emerge Medical Solutions
Membership
Maggie Ratliff, Vice President and CIO - Carondelet
Advocacy
Micah Trotti, Attorney - Polsinelli & Shughart
Publicity
Matt Smith, Ambulatory IT Manager - The University of Kansas Hospital
RHIO Chair
Joe Brisson, HIT Associates
Student Liaison
Christy Holtman, Student - William Jewell BSN Program
We would like to thank the HOAHIMSS chapter membership that participated in the voting process, your input is appreciated. If you are interested in joining one of our committees or participating on the board this coming year please email the President at president@hoahimss.org, we also welcome any comments or feedback you may have to improve the chapter
We would also like to thank and recognize the 2009 - 2010 Board for their hard work, and contributions to the HOA HIMSS chapter. Without your support and leadership these informative sessions would not be possible.
HIMSS Policy Summit
Washington D.C.
June 16 - 17
Micah Trotti, HOA HIMSS Advocacy Chair
The 9th annual HIMSS Policy Summit was held in Washington, D.C., this June. Each year, the focus of this gathering is to establish and help shape the advocacy goals of HIMSS as an organization. The release of regulatory rules in the wake of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (“ARRA”) guided the discussion on a broad range of issues at the Policy Summit. Although conversation amongst participants varied across an array of topics, the organized program focused primarily on the three “asks” for HIMSS advocacy:
•That any future policy pertaining to the electronic health record (EHR) incentive programs under ARRA appropriately balance meaningful use criteria/measures with industry readiness without delaying the timeline for implementation;
•That Congress enable the study of an informed patient identity solution; and
•That Congress work with the Obama Administration to make permanent the current physician self-referral regulation exemptions (Stark exemptions) and anti-kickback safe harbors for EHRs.
The first “ask” related to the regulations released under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH). Although it is widely recognized that change is needed to move forward with the modernization of healthcare in the United States, the specifics of any such program have been hotly debated. Many organizations, including the American Hospital Association (AHA), the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) and others have advocated a delay in the implementation of the HITECH program requirements along with a reevaluation of the requirements themselves. HIMSS, on the other hand, believes that the current timeline for implementation should remain intact, but also, like the AHA and CHIME, that there be an evaluation of the balance between the “Meaningful Use” criteria and industry readiness to implement those criteria (or, perhaps more correctly, its lack of readiness to implement such criteria). HIMSS, as an organization, believes that the Office for the National Coordinator for Healthcare Information Technology should scale back the “Meaningful Use” requirements. Specifically, HIMSS would push for the payment of partial incentives for the partial achievement of “Meaningful Use” criteria rather than the all-or-nothing approach currently in place under the interim final rule.
The second “ask” focused on the need for a study of an informed patient identity solution. Although the idea of a uniform patient identifier has never been popular, with the ever-increasing mobility of patients along with the rise of interoperable EHR systems the need for a comprehensive and reliable means of identifying patients will become crucial. It is important to note that HIMSS is not advocating that a universal patient identifier be adopted but, rather, that a study into the efficacy of such a system be made. It is, however, inescapable that a uniform identify solution will eventually be required as EHR systems are implemented and required to be increasingly interoperable.
The final “ask” is “that Congress should work to make permanent the current physician self-referral regulation exemptions (Stark exemptions) and anti-kickback safe harbors for EHRs.” Many health care providers have their practice management or EHR systems provided to them by larger member networks or hospitals they serve. Under the current but soon to expire exemptions, the provision of those systems (under certain circumstances) falls within a safe harbor under anti-kickback laws. HIMSS expects that these arrangements will continue to drive the advancement of the use of EHR technology and that without these safe harbors a significant source of innovation will go dry. This, thankfully, will be the easiest of the suggested policy commitments as it requires only that exemptions currently in place be extended rather than re-crafting regulations (some of which are already in place) or establishing a study on a politically unpopular program.
The three “asks” that were developed for the Policy Summit represent three key advocacy objectives and areas of emphasis for HIMSS chapters in the coming year. Although ARRA and other projects such as healthcare reform and the implementation of new standards such as 5010/ICD-10 are already well under way, through a concerted effort at the federal, regional and local level, HIMSS and its members have the ability to shape the outcomes achieved.
The Heart of America Chapter of HIMSS is an important component of the HIMSS structure and is organized and operates on a state basis to advance HIMSS' mission and go
The Heart of America Chapter of HIMSS is a regional chapter of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), the healthcare industry's membership organization exclusively focused on providing leadership for the optimal use of healthcare information technology (IT) and management systems for the betterment of human health. HIMSS frames and leads healthcare public policy and industry practices through its advocacy, educational, and professional development initiatives designed to promote information and management systems’ contributions to ensuring quality patient care.
HIMSS Vision
Advancing the best use of information and management systems for the betterment of health care.
HIMSS Mission
To lead change in the healthcare information and management systems field through knowledge sharing, advocacy, collaboration, innovation, and community affiliations.
National Vision, Local Focus
HIMSS National members are also members of any HIMSS Chapter of their choice, and can participate in leadership-building and information-gathering activities at all levels of the Society. HIMSS chapters regularly meet to learn from expert speakers, share knowledge, and network. Chapters publish newsletters, and maintain web sites to keep members posted on industry and HIMSS events. They hold educational sessions designed to help you in your workplace. They are one of the best resources for keeping abreast of local issues.
The Heart of America Chapter of HIMSS is an important component of the HIMSS structure and is organized and operates on a state basis to advance HIMSS' mission and goals.
In addition to our website www.hoahimss.org, event notifications are now published on Twitter!
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