RelWare raises money for TEAM FOX with DeLorean Time Machine

(I saw a lot of people taking photos of this car at HIMSS 2010 and HIMSS 2011).

Farmington Hills, Michigan – March 7, 2011 – Reliance Software Systems, Inc. (RelWare), a Michigan-based healthcare information technology company, raised greater than $1000 for TEAM FOX during the recent 2011 HIMSS Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, FL. This contribution directly benefits the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

For the second year in a row, RelWare featured the Back to the Future DeLorean Time Machine in its booth to raise awareness for TEAM FOX, and as a symbol of RelWare’s technology—a “Roadmap to the Future”. For a personal picture with the Time Machine, attendees were asked to make a donation of any amount to TEAM FOX.

Dann R. Lemerand, FHIMSS, RelWare’s vice president of marketing and business development said, “We are honored to be able to raise money during the HIMSS conference for the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Having the Back to the Future Time Machine in our booth has been a great draw for us to talk about our technology and as a way to raise awareness for the Foundation.”

Smart Card Technology Supporting Meaningful Use of Electronic Health Records

Last week at HIMSS11, I saw several companies exhibiting smart card technology for use in the health care industry. The Smart Card Alliance released a press release last week (see below) outlining a recent white paper that describes how smart cards may play a role in the "meaningful use" of electronic health records:

Smart Cards Aid in Achieving ‘Meaningful Use’ of Electronic Health Records According to New Smart Card Alliance White Paper

Princeton Junction, N.J., February 22, 2011 – “Meaningful use” of electronic health records has become a top priority in the U.S. healthcare system; healthcare providers that achieve it will qualify to receive federal incentives. What are the criteria for meaningful use and how can it be attained? The Smart Card Alliance answers these questions and outlines the role of smart card technology in a new white paper released today, “Getting to Meaningful Use and Beyond: How Smart Card Technology Can Support Meaningful Use of Electronic Health Records.”

Free Health Information Exchange (HIE)

What's an HIE? According to Wikipedia:

Health information exchange (HIE) is defined as the mobilization of healthcare information electronically across organizations within a region, community or hospital system.

HIE provides the capability to electronically move clinical information among disparate health care information systems while maintaining the meaning of the information being exchanged. The goal of HIE is to facilitate access to and retrieval of clinical data to provide safer, more timely, efficient, effective, equitable, patient-centered care. HIE is also useful to Public Health authorities to assist in analyses of the health of the population.

How about the concept of a free HIE? This was announced last week at HIMSS11. Here's the press release that describes the GNAX free HIE:

Global Net Access (GNAX) Unveils Free HIE at HIMSS11

ATLANTA, GA –Global Net Access (GNAX), a leading healthcare technology infrastructure service provider unveils a new Free Health Information Exchange (HIE) today at the 2011 Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition. The GNAX HIE facilitates the direct electronic exchange of patient information between healthcare providers. GNAX will be demonstrating the HIE in its booth 4086 during exhibition hours as well as in the VMware theatre, booth 4079 at 4:00 PM on Monday, February 21st.

OptimizeHIT powered by ImplementHIT

This press release about OptimizeHIT came out last week when I was at HIMSS11. At HIMSS11, there was a significant amount of focus around different types of EHR systems, but not as much focus on ensuring that physicians know how to effectively utilize these complex systems.

ImplementHIT Launches OptimizeHIT at HIMSS to Boost Physician EHR Training and Meaningful Use for Small Practices

Brings cost-effective, customizable physician elearning to smaller practices

Orlando, FL—February 21, 2011—ImplementHIT will roll out OptimizeHIT, (www.OptimizeHIT.com) physician electronic health record (EHR) elearning solutions, at HIMSS 2011 in Orlando, FL, February 20-24 in booth 3385. This new patent-pending solution will deliver bold new functionality scaled to small physician practices with 20 doctors or fewer, empowering them to achieve meaningful use of qualified EHRs. ImplementHIT is the developer of sophisticated, physician-friendly, dynamic education products and services to help hospitals and physician practices drive organization-wide adoption of EHRs.

Interoperability in Action at #HIMSS11

Interoperability continues to be a very popular topic here at HIMSS11. HIMSS Interoperability Showcase in collaboration with Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise [IHE] provides a full landscape of health IT solutions, live demonstrations of interoperability, and educational opportunities that connect thousands of health IT buyers and end-users to answer your most complex health IT questions.

Breaking Barriers to Adoption

Did you know a 100-bed hospital utilizes hundreds of interfaces to transfer patient data from department-to-department? Standards-based interoperable systems reduce costs, maintenance and improves patient centered care. Information is powerful! However, to break the barriers to adoption, stakeholders must realize and embrace the benefits of interoperability.

Data Security and Interoperability Are Key to Transforming U.S. Health Care System #HIMSS11

‘Simple, Common-Sense Approach’ to Data Security and Interoperability Are Key to Transforming U.S. Health Care System, Verizon Executive Says

Dr. Peter Tippett, in Address at HIMSS 2011, Cites Four Areas That Need to Be Addressed to Enhance Care and Control Costs

ORLANDO, Fla. – The lack of common interoperability standards and inconsistent approaches to security, privacy and trust are perpetuating an antiquated U.S. health care delivery system that has been largely unable to benefit from the widespread adoption of IT, according to Verizon’s top security and health care executive.

The executive, Dr. Peter Tippett, vice president of security and industry solutions for Verizon, called for the development of “simple, common-sense approaches to data security and interoperability” to help expand access to quality care, control costs and improve patient outcomes. He spoke Tuesday (Feb. 22) at the Health Information Management Systems Society annual conference.

I'm speaking about blogging at #HIMSS11 today (3:30 pm)

I hope you'll visit me at the HIMSS Social Media Center (Exhibit Hall E, Booth 7981) where I'll be speaking about blogging today.

Blogging as a Career: Strategies for Clinicians and Health IT Bloggers

This session presents case studies of clinicians and health IT professionals who generate supplemental income by blogging, describe ways bloggers can find different sources of revenue to support their blogs, and outline the key steps that are necessary to build and establish a profitable blog.

Wednesday, February 23 at 3:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Presenter: Dr. Joseph Kim
Location: HIMSS Social Media Center (Exhibit Hall E, Booth 7981)

Visit the HIMSS Social Media Center (Exhibit Hall E, Booth 7981) here. You'll see the presentation schedule on that page. I hope to see you at HIMSS11!

Nuance Healthcare Development Platform Brings Medical Speech Recognition To the Cloud #HIMSS11

I'm currently at HIMSS11 and I had the chance to sit down with Dr. Nick van Terheyden of Nuance. Nuance is bringing medical speech recognition to the cloud through its new healthcare development platform.  This cloud-based platform allows Nuance’s medical speech recognition capabilities to be available to global developers, empowering them to create new clinical solutions for speech-driven clinical communication,  voice navigation and search. The Platform can be used to introduce speech capabilities to multiple devices and operating systems – browser-based apps, mobile apps and thin-client desktop solutions.

Here's a recent press release:

Nuance Healthcare Development Platform Brings Medical Speech Recognition To the Cloud

Advanced, Cloud-based Platform Provides Global Healthcare Developers Access to Industry-Leading Speech Recognition and Clinical Language Understanding Technologies

HIMSS 2011, ORLANDO, February 22, 2011 — Today, from HIMSS, Nuance Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: NUAN) announced that its industry-leading medical speech recognition capabilities and latest advancements in Clinical Language Understanding (CLU) technology will be available through the Nuance Healthcare Development Platform.  With this new cloud-based platform, third-party developers, serving global markets, can rapidly incorporate Nuance Healthcare technologies as part of a wide variety of healthcare applications, providing users with new capabilities for speech-driven clinical documentation, voice navigation and automatic clinical fact extraction.

#HIMSS11 Breaks Attendance Records (over 30,000 people)

ORLANDO (February 22, 2011) — It is only day three of the 2011 HIMSS Conference and Exhibition, but I am excited to report that attendance has made history with a record number of registrants. An estimated 30,947 people are currently attending this year’s conference in Orlando, compared to an estimated 27,800 registrants at the 2010 event in Atlanta.

The success of HIMSS11 reflects a broader understanding of the important benefits of healthcare IT, and the readiness of these technologies to be implemented immediately. It also reflects the hard work of many dedicated individuals – including elected officials, healthcare practitioners, IT product developers and my colleagues at HIMSS – on an ongoing basis.

@MEDecision at #HIMSS11 offering solutions for ACOs and PCMHs

MEDecision is a leading provider of collaborative health management solutions and I had the chance to sit down and chat with them about ACOs and PCMHs. The phrases "patient-centered medical homes" and "accountable care organizations" are becoming really popular phrases in the world of health IT. MEDecision offers solutions for physicians, hospitals, and other organizations that are looking to adopt ACO and PCMH models in the effort to improve health care quality and affordability. One recent announcement includes their InFrame™ mobile application that brings clinically validated electronic health records to mobile phones, tablets and similar devices.

Make sure to also catch Nathan Moracco, director of the State of Minnesota Employee Insurance Division, demonstrating how the state will use MEDecision’s Nexalign® health decision support service to power its personal health record program. Mr. Moracco will conduct his presentations in the MEDecision booth on Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Entertainment at #HIMSS11 (you'll enjoy these photos)

HIMSS is definitely a party compared to conferences where the majority of companies are pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies that adhere to the PhRMA Code. The health IT industry is way behind the pharmaceutical industry when it comes to things like giving gifts, serving wine and beer, etc. Then again, the majority of HIMSS attendees are not physicians, so maybe that's why these companies are slower to adopt some of these guidelines.

Well, I wanted to share some of these "entertaining" photos from the HIMSS exhibit hall:

On Base or On Tap? People seem to remember this sports bar at HIMSS:

An arcade at the Merge Healthcare exhibit:

Back to HIMSS or Back to the Future?

Lawson brings the circus to HIMSS:

HIMSS11 coverage is sponsored by HP and Practice Fusion. HP’s extensive portfolio of products, solutions, services and relationships can help your healthcare organization achieve quality business practices and provide quality patient care. Practice Fusion's free EHR is the fastest growing Electronic Health Records (EHR) system in the US.

Physicians and Meaningful Use: What We Are Seeing in Social Media #HIMSS11

I hope you'll visit me at the HIMSS Social Media Center (Exhibit Hall E, Booth 7981) this afternoon. Hear how physicians are collaborating via forums, blogs, Twitter, and other social media channels to share their experiences and insights regarding the meaningful use of EHRs.

Physicians and Meaningful Use: What We Are Seeing in Social Media
Monday, February 21 at 2:15 pm – 2:45 pm
Presenter: Dr. Joseph Kim
Location: HIMSS Social Media Center (Exhibit Hall E, Booth 7981)

HP Helps Improve Quality and Efficiency of Care with Telehealth Programs #HIMSS11

PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 21, 2011 – HP today announced new product solutions and applications that help advance telehealth adoption and accessibility for healthcare organizations and patients nationwide, promoting improved quality and efficiency of healthcare.

HP will demonstrate the following collaborative solutions introduced at the annual Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) conference and exhibition (booth 731):

— Lifebot® is designed to provide a secure, mobile emergency medical services (EMS) telemedicine solution.

— Canvys delivers advanced display systems for patient monitoring, bio-medical displays, ultrasound, cardiac imaging and picture archiving and communication systems (PACS).

— Medweb’s cloud-hosted imaging and data repository improves the speed and security of image and records storage for physicians, radiologists and specialists.

— Parental Health facilitates daily health monitoring by allowing seniors to connect face-to-face with doctors, book medical appointments or dispatch a physician in emergency situations.

“HP is committed to providing industry-leading, comprehensive telehealth solutions for cost-effective and accurate remote patient monitoring and care,” said Chris Mertens, vice president, Healthcare, Personal Systems Group, HP. “Through our close collaboration with innovative technology leaders, HP telehealth solutions bring physicians and care givers to the point of care, regardless of their location, with fast, reliable and enhanced secure technology.”

ScriptRx to Integrate Medi-Span® Clinical into EMR and Discharge Systems #HIMSS11

Wolters Kluwer Health announces ScriptRx’s selection of its medication decision support system during HIMSS11 (Booth #6162)

ORLANDO -- (Feb. 21, 2011) -- Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information for healthcare professionals and students, announced today that ScriptRx, Inc. will integrate Medi-Span® Clinical into its line of touch-screen EMR and discharge systems for emergency rooms and urgent care centers. The agreement was announced at HIMSS11, where Wolters Kluwer Health is featuring several of its leading clinical decision support (CDS) tools, including Medi-Span Clinical, in Booth #6162.

Improved Quality and Access to Health Data Essential to Global Health #HIMSS11

Geneva, Switzerland, 21 February 2011 – The World Economic Forum today launches an ambitious project to advance global health through improved data collection and management. The Global Health Data Charter is recognition that accurate health data is essential for effective and efficient health management. The Charter aims to enable individuals and patients, health professionals and policy-makers to make more informed decisions through secure access to comprehensive, quality data. The Charter was developed by the World Economic Forum, with project advisory services and support provided by Deloitte and a broad group of stakeholders.

“This Charter represents a tipping point in our transition from the old days of capturing data on paper to the modern era of global interconnectedness supported by sophisticated and secure data sharing to improve health for everyone,” says Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum. “Our role has always been that of the catalyst – identifying the gaps, creating the solution and activating change. The Global Health Data Charter is a further illustration of that commitment.”

iPad-enabled program links patients, physicians and hospitals at #HIMSS11

You're never too old to learn something new. I'm attending the annual HIMSS conference and I wanted to share this interesting press release about NIIT Healthcare Technologies:

NEW HEALTHCARE IT PILOT PROGRAM CUTTING PATIENT CHECK-IN TIMES BY 80 PERCENT

-- iPad-enabled program links patients, physicians and hospitals on a common technology platform –

ORLANDO, Fla. @HIMSS 2011 (February 20, 2011) – Patients too old for technology? Tell that to the 72-year-old who recently used an iPad to check in for his procedure at South Lake Hospital.

“He was delighted with the process, partly because it was a new experience for him but primarily because his check-in time was under two minutes,” said Pranam Ben, COO and head of NIIT Healthcare Technologies. “We’ve found that regardless of the patient’s age or experience with technology, their overall satisfaction with the program has been exceptional.”