HIMSS, OMG to Collaborate on Standards Development

Leaders of the computer industry standards organization OMG and HIMSS, a cause-based, not-for-profit organization exclusively focused on providing global leadership for the optimal use of IT and management systems for the betterment of healthcare, have agreed to collaborate on several fronts, including standards development, conferences, and resources such as whitepapers and webinars. OMG will become an affiliate member of HIMSS, and HIMSS will become a domain member of OMG. This collaboration will result in a new effort to deliver healthcare industry-specific guidance and specifications enabling the national vision of secure and seamless exchange of health information.

"I couldn't be more excited about the emerging relationship with HIMSS. HIMSS' impact and reach into the healthcare community is unprecedented, and OMG has a tremendous track record of producing practical, usable standards in dozens of vertical markets, including health.  Working together is a natural, symbiotic relationship. We believe we can positively contribute to the HIMSS community, and look forward to closer collaboration to better meet the challenges faced within health and health IT," says Ken Rubin, cochair of Healthcare DTF at OMG.

"This collaboration is a perfect match, bringing together OMG's ability to drive standards and HIMSS deep wealth of healthcare knowledge. I look forward to supporting this effort and the contributions we can make to the HIMSS community," says Robert Lario, principal of Visumpoint and cochair of Healthcare DTF at OMG.

"Integration and interoperability of healthcare information has been a HIMSS strategic priority over many years," says Jim St.Clair, senior director of interoperability and standards for HIMSS. "This collaboration with OMG, in conjunction with our leadership in the Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) USA, adds another pillar of support to this priority for 2012."

Initial collaborative activities include OMG Healthcare Domain Task Force participation in upcoming HIMSS events such as a Connectathon, a presentation on enterprise architecture during the November HIMSS virtual conference , and a presence at HIMSS12, scheduled for February 20-24 in Las Vegas. HIMSS will participate in the Semantic and SOA Services Information Day at the OMG Technical Meeting in Santa Clara, Calif., on December 14, in the upcoming OMG healthcare event Interconnected Health 2012, which will include a HIMSS track, and will participate on the program review committee. The groups have also agreed to author joint whitepapers.

Source: PR Newswire