Industry Insight

AMIA Launches “Why Informatics?” Campaign

AMIA recently launched a new public education campaign entitled Why Informatics? to meet the increased demand for knowledge in health care. With the explosion of data available in health and health care, informaticians have been critical to discovering the insights that are accelerating the transformation of health care.

The campaign, which features informatics professionals discussing the impact of their research, is vital to helping define the field at a time of rapid change in health care. “Informatics has reached a tipping point in its growth,” says Douglas B. Fridsma, MD, PhD, FACP, FACMI, president and CEO of AMIA. “Using insights obtained from data throughout health and health care is the driving force of informatics and its ability to innovate critical advancements that directly benefit people. We need to share this story widely to continue transforming health care.”

Since the founding of AMIA nearly 30 years ago, informaticians have played important roles in many of the major health discoveries, treatment advances, and public health improvements defining today’s health and health care. “Informatics is more than collecting and managing data; it is the profession that encompasses the scientific analysis and use of data that helps patients, increases effectiveness, improves safety, and reduces care costs,” Fridsma adds.

Thomas H. Payne, MD, FACMI, chair of AMIA’s board, notes, “The campaign is a chance to celebrate our members and explain why this community is committed to a vision where informatics transforms people’s lives. Informatics research and application need to be encouraged at all levels of health care and government policy. Helping audiences outside the field to understand informatics and why it can improve health of people and populations is our goal.”

Throughout 2017 and 2018, the Why Informatics? campaign will use video, social media, data visualizations, advertisements, and other original content to feature informatics professionals explaining how their commitment and passion improves health and health care. Visit www.whyinformatics.org for more information.

— Source: AMIA

CHIME Unveils Certification Program for Industry Representatives

The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) has launched the CHIME Foundation Certified Healthcare Executive (CFCHE) program for employees of CHIME Foundation firms. The certification is designed to assess the knowledge of an experienced HIT industry employee and ensure that a recipient shares the same commitment to quality as a CIO.

The CFCHE program mirrors the CHIME Certified Healthcare CIO (CHCIO) program, which was created in 2009 for CIOs and IT executives to demonstrate their mastery of the profession. Today more than 350 CHIME members hold the CHCIO title.

“CFCHE certification will assure CIOs and other senior health care executives that the recipient has a strong grasp on the health IT environment and will be a partner with the health care system in its efforts to improve patient care, safety, and efficiencies,” says Jennifer Ramstrom, chair of the CFCHE Committee and vice president of vertical strategy and business development at Connection.

The CFCHE certification is available to employees of CHIME Foundation firms who meet the following requirements:

• possess a baccalaureate degree or are enrolled in a baccalaureate program; and
• have three years of professional experience at a CHIME Foundation member organization or other qualified health care provider organization; or one year of professional experience at a CHIME Foundation firm and currently maintain CHCIO status.

Committee cochair Cyndi Cahill, managing partner at Pursuit Healthcare Advisors in Philadelphia, says the CFCHE initiative incorporates the perspective of both industry and CIOs. “CHIME CHCIO members and CHIME Foundation member representatives worked together on the writing and development of the exam,” she says. “It reflects the mutual values of vendors and their customers.”

The exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions, including scenario-based and independent questions. It will be offered at CHIME in-person events and will make its debut September 15 at the second annual CHIME Partner Education Summit in Chicago. It also will be available at local testing centers across the country beginning August 1.

More information is available at chimecentral.org/cfche.

— Source: College of Healthcare Information Management Executives