ARRA, Healthcare Reform, and National Health IT Week

I attended a HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) webinar today titled, "A Mix of all the Right Ingredients: ARRA, Healthcare Reform, National Health IT Week and YOU!"

The webinar provided an overview of National Health IT Week 2009 and the HIMSS 8th Annual Policy Summit. The presenter was State Sen. Richard Moore from Massachusetts, who serves as Vice President of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Senator Moore (D-MA) is poised to lead this important association’s 7,328 state legislators and legislative staff in the next two years. Sen. Moore discussed his perspective on the current health IT policy landscape.

Here were some of the key points from Sen. Moore:

• We must consider the impact of health IT on healthcare costs
• Look at examples of quality improvement
  
• By 2015 - every physician (or every prescriber) must have competency in using health IT resources
• Simplification and administrative streamlining

Julia Zarb, PhD (Zarb Consulting) jumped in to provide some information about National Health IT Week.

• This is the fourth year of National Health IT Week
• The event will be September 21-25 in Washington D.C.
• Find out more here: http://www.healthitweek.org

HIMSS 8th Annual Policy Summit

• September 22-23, 2009
• Washington D.C.

Fred Hannett spoke about the HIMSS "Asks" Task Force.

• The "Asks" Task Force has a funny name and you may see some funny faces if people don't hear the "k" as you're saying "Asks"
  
• The goal is to develop 3 "Asks" (key message points) for Capitol Hill that will impact health IT policy
  

Harry Greenspun, MD (@HarryGreenspun) delivered the closing comments.

• $50 to attend the Policy Summit
• How can organizations receive financial assistance?
• Stipends will be available (count me in!)

So, do you plan to be in Washington in September? It's too bad it's not a Health IT weekend. That makes it a bit difficult for us in the working world, doesn't it?