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EHR Collaborative Formed, Input Invited

The EHR Collaborative is sponsoring a series of open forum meetings across the country (USA) in August. These forums will serve as your opportunity to provide input into fast-moving advances toward the development of a functional model and standards for the electronic health record (EHR). While work on such standards has a rich tradition and has been unfolding in an evolutionary sense, what is now different is the level of support and encouragement for such standards at the U.S. national level and by key federal agencies and the immediacy with which this work is being urged forward. Read more for the full announcement including forum dates and locations.

An Invitation to offer feedback on draft Electronic Health Record Standards

WHAT

The American Medical Informatics Association, in collaboration with a number of other key healthcare stakeholder organizations, is sponsoring a series of open forum meetings across the country in August that we
believe you and others from your organization will find very important.

WHY

These forums will serve as your opportunity to provide input into fast-moving advances toward the development of a functional model and standards for the electronic health record (EHR). While work on such
standards has a rich tradition and has been unfolding in an evolutionary sense, what is now different is the level of support and encouragement for such standards at the national level and by key federal agencies
and the immediacy with which this work is being urged forward.

On July 1 of this year, Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced that the Department has asked two prestigious organizations, the Institute of Medicine
and Health Level 7 (HL7), to design a standard for electronic health records (EHR). This fast-tracked project is to report to DHHS by September 1, 2003. The model and standards will be used in demonstration
projects in the coming year and will have far reaching impact on the entire health care community, ranging from large enterprises to individual practices.

The open forum meetings are designed to gather feedback on the EHR model and standards being developed by HL7 before they are delivered to DHHS. The agenda for the forums will include an overview of
the draft HL7 model and its implications and will provide an opportunity for gathering comment. Participant feedback will be compiled in a summary report for HL7 and DHHS. A copy of the report will also be
available for public review.

Developing an effective, universally accepted EHR model requires input from the end-users, those who manage the technology and information content, and those who will invest in its acquisition, implementation
and maintenance. It is for this reason that the collaborating organizations are working to compile broad-based input from users to support and strengthen the work of HL7, educate the industry, build consensus,
and facilitate adoption.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

If you are involved in EHR projects or are interested in advancing the EHR, your participation is strongly encouraged. This is an opportunity to analyze, discuss and critique the model and standards in a
multidisciplinary session.

WHEN AND WHERE

The open forum meetings will be held in the following locations only. On site registration will begin at 8:00 a.m. Meetings will begin promptly at 8:30 and adjourn no later than 12:30 p.m.

Space is limited. Please visit http://www.EHRCollaborative.org to register. There is no charge for participation in these forums, but space planning requires that you indicate your intent to attend and notify the
sponsors if your plans change.

Locations

Monday August 11: Chicago

American Hospital Association

One North Franklin Street

Chicago, IL 60606

(312) 422-2180

Wednesday August 13: Seattle

Location to be announced

Friday August 15: Los Angeles

Location to be announced

Monday August 18: Boston

Massachusetts Medical Society

860 Winter Street

Waltham Woods Corporate Center

Waltham, MA 02451-1411

(800) 322-2303

Tuesday August 19: Atlanta

D. Abbott Turner Center

1703 Turner Lane

Atlanta, Georgia 30329

(404) 712-6000

Wednesday August 20: Dallas

Baylor University Medical Center

Tom Landry Fitness Center

Classrooms A, B & C

411 N. Washington Street

Dallas, TX 75246

(214) 820-7870

Forum Sponsors:

– American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)

– American Medical Association (AMA)

– American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA)

– American Nurses Association (ANA) (Tentative)

– College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME)

– eHealth Initiative(eHI)

– Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS)

– National Alliance for Health Information Technology (NAHIT)

These organizations represent key stakeholders including practicing clinicians, payers, purchasers, researchers, healthcare providers, IT suppliers, information and technology managers, accrediting groups, public
health organizations, manufacturers, and public sector partners. The goal of this Collaborative is to facilitate rapid input from the healthcare community in this and other development initiatives that advance the
adoption of information standards for healthcare.

Additional Background Information

Additional information regarding the open forum meetings will be forthcoming in the weeks leading up to the meetings. The Collaborative is also working to make the HL7�s EHR model and proposed standards
more accessible to non-technical audiences involved in healthcare by providing on-going interpretation and analysis of this complex issue. For additional information and resources, visit the special web site
established to support this national input project http://www.EHRCollaborative.org.