Now in its 13th year, the Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise North American (N.A.) Connectathon 2012, sponsored by IHE USA, provides a proven testing process to promote and support the adoption of standards-based interoperable health information solutions. Registration is now open, through Sept. 30, for the IHE N.A. Connectathon, scheduled for Jan. 9-14, 2012, in Chicago at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.
What Is a Connectathon: As noted on the IHE USA website , IHE Connectathons are professionally managed, global testing events developed by IHE International. Hundreds of competing organizations, vendors, technicians and infrastructure engineers converge at IHE’s global Connectathons for one united cause; to advance the healthcare IT industry and increase patient safety in hospitals today. The primary goal of IHE Connectathons is to refine and test health information systems to ensure the interoperable exchange of patient records and medical information through an intense week-long testing schedule.
“Our participants tested more than 150 health IT systems at the 2011 IHE North American Connectathon, an annual event where organizations can come together in a neutral , non-threatening and interactive environment to learn from one another in this testing situation,” said Joyce Sensmeier, MS, RN-BC, CPHIMS, FHIMSS, FAAN, president, IHE USA. “Participants also know that many of the IHE Profiles support the Office of the National Coordinator’s Stage One Meaningful Use criteria for EHR Adoption.”
IHE’s Annual Free Educational Webinar Series : The 2011 IHE free webinar series has been extended through Sept. 28 and offers information on a wide range of topics to help organizations – from clinical to vendors – learn about the benefits of IHE and how organizations can participate in IHE’s year-round development and deployment activities.
The free series runs weekly live webinar sessions presenting the latest profiles developed in each of the IHE clinical and operational domains and highlighting how to participate in IHE’s Domain Committees, National Deployment Committees, Connectathons and demonstrations.
Registration is required. Register online today to participate on IHE’s Free Webinar Series . The full schedule of presentations and speakers is available on IHE International’s website with recordings available for past sessions.
Interoperability Research Award Program (IRAP): IHE USA offers an award program for research institutions, health information exchange (HIE) organizations and developers of open source health IT systems participating in the IHE North American Connectathon. Learn more by visiting IHE USA’s website . The deadline for applications is Sept. 12.
Connectathon Conference and HIMSS Interoperability Showcase™: Details on the IHE North American Connectathon Conference, held one day during the week-long Connectathon on Jan. 11, 2012, will be available in November. In addition, participants with successful completion of the testing schedule at the IHE N. A. Connectathon 2012 can then be part of the HIMSS12 Interoperability Showcase on Feb. 21-24, 2012 in Las Vegas.
Next Steps: Learn how to participate in the IHE N.A. Connectathon 2012 by visiting IHE USA’s Participant Resources online. Review the guidelines and requirements for all IHE Connectathon participants in the Policies and Guidelines document on the IHE USA website and register before September 30, 2011.
About IHE USA:
IHE USA (www.iheusa.org ) is a not-for-profit organization established in 2010 that operates as a deployment committee of IHE International®. The mission of IHE USA is to drive adoption of standards-based interoperability to improve patient care through innovation, standards profiling, testing, education and collaboration. IHE USA improves the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare delivery by supporting the deployment of standards-based electronic health record systems, facilitating the exchange of health information among care providers, both within the enterprise and across care settings, and enabling local, regional and nationwide health information networks in the United States, all in a manner consistent with participation in the activities of IHE International, Inc.
About IHE International:
IHE International, Inc. (www.ihe.net ) is the global hub of the IHE initiative, a multi-stakeholder effort started in 1997 to promote the effective use of electronic health records and health information technology (HIT) by driving the adoption of standards-based solutions for interoperability. IHE International brings together HIT experts and stakeholders in more than a dozen clinical and operational domains to develop implementation guides call IHE Profiles that define the use of standards to address specific HIT interoperability needs. It also oversees a process of testing that fosters the adoption of IHE Profiles in real-world HIT products and care settings. IHE interoperability solutions are implemented in hundreds of products and in care sites around the world.
About HIMSS
HIMSS is a cause-based, not-for-profit organization exclusively focused on providing global leadership for the optimal use of information technology (IT) and management systems for the betterment of healthcare. Founded 50 years ago, HIMSS and its related organizations are headquartered in Chicago with additional offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. HIMSS represents more than 38,000 individual members, of which more than two thirds work in healthcare provider, governmental and not-for-profit organizations. HIMSS also includes over 540 corporate members and more than 120 not-for-profit organizations that share our mission of transforming healthcare through the effective use of information technology and management systems. HIMSS frames and leads healthcare practices and public policy through its content expertise, professional development, research initiatives, and media vehicles designed to promote information and management systems’ contributions to improving the quality, safety, access, and cost-effectiveness of patient care. To learn more about HIMSS and to find out how to join us and our members in advancing our cause, please visit our website at www.himss.org
Contact(s):
Joyce Lofstrom
phone: 312-915-9237
