MN e-Health Update

Minnesota e-Health Update for the Week of February 13, 2012

 

Minnesota

Application Materials for Upcoming Public Hearings Now Available

Members of the public and interested stakeholders are encouraged to participate in the upcoming Public Hearings at which applicants will present an overview of their applications to obtain Certificates of Authority to operate in Minnesota as Health Information Exchange (HIE) Service Providers in Minnesota.

 

The following applicants will participate in the Public Hearings on February 24 and 29, 2012:

• ApeniMED
• Surescripts

Both public hearings will be held at:
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Golden Rule Building Office
85 E. 7th Place, Suite 220, St. Paul, Minnesota, 55101

Copies of the application materials filed by these companies in support of their requests for a Certificate of Authority have been posted for public review on the MDH OHIT website at http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/hpsc/ohit/publichearings.html.

Stakeholders and interested parties can register to submit questions or comments at the Public Hearing by following the instructions on the MDH OHIT website at http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/hpsc/ohit/publichearings.html. Comments regarding the applicant’s qualifications to become certified as an HIE Service Provider can also be submitted in writing by following the instructions on this website.

 

For additional information regarding the HIE Oversight Program, please check http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/hpsc/ohit/hieoversightbackground.html or contact Donna Watz at donna.watz@state.mn.us or 651-201-3598.

 

Change for HIE Workgroup: Minnesota e-Health HIE Workgroup Meeting: Friday February 17, 2012

The Minnesota e-Health Health Information Exchange (HIE) Workgroup will hold its meeting via conference call. This is a change from the previous announcement.

 

When: Friday, February 17, from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.

Call Details: dial 1-888-742-5095 and enter passcode 4477200226

 

All Minnesota e-Health Workgroup meetings are open to the public and interested parties are encouraged to attend. For questions about the meeting or to RSVP, email Jennifer Fritz at Jennifer.Fritz@state.mn.us.

 

Help Create Detailed Map of Broadband Coverage Across Minnesota
Connect Minnesota was commissioned by the Minnesota Department of Commerce to work with all broadband providers in the state of Minnesota to create detailed maps of broadband coverage in order to accurately pinpoint remaining gaps in broadband availability in Minnesota. Connect Minnesota is building a comprehensive database of available broadband capacity at Community Anchor Institutions and requests your help by completing a simple and secure online survey. For more information, visit the Connect Minnesota website or email Connect Minnesota at whoffman@connectmn.org. 

 

Resources from REACH (Regional Extension Assistance Center for HIT)

REACH has a number of recorded webinars available on its website to assist health care organizations with selecting, implementing and optimizing EHRs. The five most popular webinars are:

• Completing a Risk Assessment for Meaningful Use
• Staffing for EHR Now and Later
• Workflow Details: Best Practices for Implementing CPOE
•  Workflow Redesign and EHRs
• Total Cost of Ownership (for Clinics)

REACH clients can access them at no charge. Others can access them for $30. The complete list is available at www.khareach.org/education.

 

Did you know…

As of December 2011, Minnesota hospitals and eligible professionals have received 432 Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive payments totaling $33.6 million.

Source: www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/Downloads/Payments_by_state_by_program_by_provider.pdf

 

National

Free Webinar “Tips for Preventing Scope Creep and Cost Over Runs When Implementing a Health IT System” 
This webinar focuses on how safety net providers can tackle cost over runs and scope creep during a health information technology (IT) implementation or upgrade. The presenters come from health center and critical access hospital backgrounds. Their presentations will focus on the following questions: What project management tools should you utilize to keep your project within costs and scope? How do you use workflow analysis to control costs and keep your implementation within scope? How do you involve staff and work with them in maintaining the project’s scope during implementation?

When: Friday, February 17, 2012, 1:00-2:30 pm CST

Registration link: http://webcast.streamlogics.com/audience/index.asp?eventid=64657228

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This weekly update is intended to provide health related professionals with a Minnesota perspective on the e-health related news, and highlight some things you may want to think about now.

 

We welcome any feedback or suggestions you would like to offer on how we can improve our communications in the future. Please send any comments you have to MN.eHealth@state.mn.us.

 

The Minnesota e-Health Initiative is a public-private collaborative whose vision is to accelerate the adoption and use of electronic health records and other health information technology in order to improve health care quality, increase patient safety, reduce health care costs and improve public health. It is guided by a statewide advisory committee with 25 representatives from interested and affected stakeholders in health information technology.