Under the direction of management and technology consulting firm BearingPoint, Inc. (NYSE: BE), The National Alliance for Health Information Technology (Alliance) is working with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) to engage health care stakeholders in a participatory process to define key health IT terms.

The first step is in the process is to form two works that will develop consensus-based definitions for the standard use of key health information technology (IT) terms. As part of a project, a Records Work Group will be formed to develop consensus on definitions for electronic medical record (EMR), electronic health record (EHR), and personal health record (PHR) while the Networks Work Group will develop consensus on definitions for health information exchange (HIE) and regional health information organization (RHIO).

The Alliance is accepting applications for work group membership on its web site at http://www.definitions.nahit.org from November 5 to November 16, 2007.

For the work groups, the Alliance is seeking volunteers from providers, manufacturers/vendors of healthcare IT products, payers, purchasers, employers, consumer advocacy groups, associations and professional organizations, academic institutions, government and currently operating health information exchanges and regional health information organizations. Candidates should be:

* Leaders of national stature, able to simultaneously represent the healthcare field, their respective sector category and their organization.

* Experts with experience in the focus area of the work group.

* Recognized leaders within their organization, able and willing to engage their organization in this project.

The first work group meetings will be held November 30, and workgroups are expected to meet on a biweekly basis via teleconference until a final report is published at the end of March 2008.