April 2, 2007

Technology Pow-wow Points to the Future
By Lee DeOrio
For The Record
Vol. 19 No. 7 P. 8

A carnival-like atmosphere masked some pretty serious business at this year’s HIMSS Annual Conference & Exhibition in New Orleans. While jugglers and clowns did what they do, HIT honchos were discussing the future of healthcare and demonstrating the technology that will make it all happen.

From the opening salvo of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to the uproarious and passionate speech by retired general Colin L. Powell and an address by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Mike Leavitt, much was discussed about IT’s power to transform healthcare.

Powell wowed a standing-room-only crowd—some attendees were actually off in conference rooms watching on big-screen TVs—with a warm, down-to-earth presentation that covered a variety of topics. Obstensibly, he was there as a representative of Revolution Health, the new Web portal designed as a home for consumers’ health information, but the company was hardly the focus.

Instead, the former Secretary of State regaled the audience with inspiring stories about the importance of leadership and values. Eschewing notes and a podium, Powell touched on Iraq, America’s role in an ever-changing global climate, and the fortitude of immigrants.

On the exhibit floor, one of the show’s more popular attractions was the interoperability showcase, which dubbed itself the “the largest multivendor interoperability prototype in the world.” With 76 companies participating, it was hard to doubt the claim. One highlight was the opportunity to follow a car accident victim along the path of care, where disparate systems connected to make the journey much smoother.

According to several vendors, the showcase’s size was a sign of the progress being made on the communication front as different systems strive toward a common goal.

HHS Interim National Coordinator of HIT Robert M. Kolodner, MD, made his presence felt throughout the conference, whether it was hosting a town hall meeting or leading a discussion on e-prescribing’s benefit.

At the former, Kolodner and other members of his office updated attendees on the organization’s accomplishments to this point. However, the meeting didn’t turn interesting until the floor was open for questions. From there, Kolodner was grilled on various issues, providing answers to some and promises of a closer look at others.
Privacy issues were at the forefront of several questioners who wondered what steps were being taken to ensure the security of electronic medical records.

“Privacy and security is not an afterthought,” Kolodner assured the gathering. “Privacy is essential. If we have a violation of trust, it will set us back by years.”

The atmosphere was less confrontational at a press conference saluting the e-prescribing initiative. Sponsored by SureScripts, the event lauded companies, physician practices, and states that have become leaders in the field. On the exhibit floor, e-prescribing was also generating a buzz as doctors from large and small practices investigated the vendors involved with the recently launched free e-prescribing program.

Allscripts President Lee Shapiro has high hopes for the National ePrescribing Patient Safety Initiative, the program spearheaded by his company and other industry leaders. Shapiro, who said the coalition did not set a goal as to the number of physicians who would take up the offer, hopes e-prescribing becomes driven by patients who begin to ask their physicians about employing the technology.

Raising public awareness is one way to spur physicians toward change. Another strategy is to show them the economic benefits of adoption. “Free might not be enough,” Shapiro said. “Incentives may be needed. Health plans could focus dollars on incentives.”
Shapiro also suggested that health plans could offer physicians “credits” toward their medical malpractice insurance if they became e-prescribers.

Besides e-prescribing solutions, visitors navigating the mile-long Ernest N. Morial Convention Center could sample plenty of new gadgets, including computer tablets, radio frequency identification technology, and a host of personal health records applications.

Elsewhere, the AHIMA’s Foundation of Research and Education (FORE) announced it had been awarded a contract by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology to continue its work on a State Level Health Information Exchange Consensus project.

“The contract builds on and extends the important work completed to date by FORE in developing emerging best practices and practical tools for state level health information exchange initiatives [HIEs],” said Kolodner. “It will expand the body of knowledge of emerging best practices that will be helpful to state level and regional HIEs.”

— Lee DeOrio is editor of For The Record.