Go to the HIT
Dashboard for an
Update on Nationwide Interoperability in
Healthcare
The Center for Health Information and
Decision Systems at the Robert H. Smith
School of Business, University of
Maryland and HIMSS introduce a tracking
system for HIT initiatives
CHICAGO (December 12, 2005) -
As the nation embraces the integration
of health information technology (HIT)
to improve patient safety and positive
clinical outcomes, tracking current
health IT initiatives across the country
becomes even more crucial. Meeting that
need, the Healthcare Information and
Management Systems Society (HIMSS), in
collaboration with the Center for Health
Information and Decision Systems
(CHIDS), at the Robert H. Smith School
of Business, University of Maryland has
developed the HIMSS HIT Dashboard.
The HIT Dashboard gives policy
makers, industry leaders and vendors a
snapshot of major HIT initiatives
throughout the United States and its
territories. The extensive dashboard
database provides a color-coded,
easy-to-read visual interface that
tracks more than 500 state, federal, and
private HIT initiatives and fulfills the
demand for a complete and interactive
database of information.
Projects currently being tracked
through the partnership include:
- Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality (AHRQ) HIT Grants
- Doctors Office Quality
Information Technology (DOQ-IT)
- Medicare Health Support Program
(MHS) formerly Chronic Care
Improvement Program
- Regional Health Information
Organizations (RHIOs)
- Health Information Exchanges
(HIEs)
- Bridges to Excellence
- Private HIT Projects
The HIT Dashboard represents HIMSS
continued dedication to support the HIT
industry, state and federal law makers
and the vendor community wherever
possible, said David Clark, HIMSS
director of integration and
interoperability. With the interest in
and growth of RHIOs and other healthcare
information technology efforts in place
nationwide, HIMSS quickly recognized
that industry leaders must have access
to current data.
The team at CHIDS began collecting
data over a year ago with HIMSS
gathering data on RHIOs in early 2005.
The organizations learned of each
others work and collaborated to
streamline efforts and create the
Web-based HIT Dashboard. When the
affiliation was finalized, CHIDS had
already compiled the original database,
which is referenced by the Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) in the
HHS' Commission on Systemic
Interoperability report, published on
Oct. 25.
We are extremely pleased to partner
with HIMSS to release the HIT Dashboard.
HIMSS industry presence and reputation,
and CHIDS research interests and
intellectual resources make us a great
team, said Corey Angst, project leader
and associate director of CHIDS.
With the HIT Dashboard, HIMSS plans
to provide a comprehensive resource for
organizations needing timely access to
information about HIT programs in the
United States and its territories. This
has been an exciting project from its
inception. It isnt often that you are
able to observe and participate in a
transformation as it is occurring. The
activity in the HIT field right now is
remarkable, said Ritu Agarwal, director
of CHIDS.
Access to the HIT Dashboard is
available in three versions, all of
which can be accessed through the HIT
Dashboard site at
www.hitdashboard.com. They are:
- a free, public version denoting
only the project icons on the map
- a HIMSS member-only version
listing the project name and
location
- a paid version providing all
collected data for each of the 500+
projects
The collaboration between CHIDS and
HIMSS illustrates how industry and
academic thought leaders can work
together to achieve the overall goal of
interoperable electronic health records
through timely business intelligence,
said Carla Smith, NCMN, FHIMSS,
executive vice president of HIMSS. The
HIT Dashboard offers our members and the
entire industry an opportunity to
monitor the progress of HIT adoption and
learn from the success or failure of
current initiatives.
For more information on the HIT
Dashboard, contact
dclark@himss.org at HIMSS.
About CHIDS
The Center for Health Information and
Decision Systems (CHIDS) at the Robert
H. Smith School of Business, University
of Maryland is an academia-led effort
with collaboration from industry and
government affiliates, designed to
research, analyze, and recommend
solutions to challenges surrounding the
introduction and integration of
information and decision technologies
into the health care system. Through
mutually-beneficial partnerships, CHIDS
conducts rigorous research, disseminates
information, manages knowledge, and
coordinates collaborations among
concerned stakeholders. In addition,
CHIDS serves as a focal point for
thought leadership around the topic of
health information and decision systems.
Visit www.smith.umd.edu/chids for more
information.
About HIMSS
The Healthcare Information and
Management Systems Society (HIMSS) is
the healthcare industry's membership
organization exclusively focused on
providing leadership for the optimal use
of healthcare information technology
(IT) and management systems for the
betterment of human health. Founded in
1961 with offices in Chicago, Washington
D.C., and other locations across the
country, HIMSS represents approximately
17,000 individual members and more than
275 member corporations that employ more
than 1 million people. HIMSS frames and
leads healthcare public policy and
industry practices through its advocacy,
educational and professional development
initiatives designed to promote
information and management systems
contributions to ensuring quality
patient care. Visit
www.himss.org for more information.
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