WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. took a collaborative leap forward towards the mobilization of health information to support patient care today with the announcement of appointments to America’s Health Information Community (AHIC) by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Mike Leavitt, who will chair this federally chartered commission.
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“This is an important step for everyone working towards health information exchange across communities and nationwide,” said Janet Marchibroda, chief executive officer of the eHealth Initiative, an independent non-profit coalition of multiple and diverse stakeholders, whose mission is to improve health and healthcare through information and information technology. “The Community will play a critical role in bringing together both the public and private sectors to provide important leadership to nationwide interoperability efforts.”
Among the Community members announced today are Douglas E. Henley, MD, executive vice president, American Academy of Family Physicians; Kevin D. Hutchinson, chief executive officer, Surescripts; Charles N. Kahn III, president, Federation of American Hospitals; Scott P. Serota, president and CEO, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association; and Lillee Smith Gelinas, R.N., chief nursing officer, VHA Inc., all organizations of which are members of the eHealth Initiative.
HHS Secretary Leavitt announced the formation of AHIC on June 6, with a mission to advance the drive to reach President Bush’s goal of providing electronic medical records for most Americans within a decade. AHIC, referred to as the “Community,” operates under HHS and includes 16 commissioners who will advise the Secretary on how to make health information digital and interoperable. The announcement comes less than a month after Hurricane Katrina struck, displacing more than a million people and scattering and destroying disparate essential paper health records. The tragedy of Katrina underscores the need for a nationwide system of interconnected electronic health records.
“We applaud the fact that AHIC -- this government-led initiative -- incorporates private sector input and leadership, and is designed to encourage collaboration,” Marchibroda said. “Although nationwide health information exchange is still emerging, there are over 100 communities across America engaging multiple stakeholders to mobilize health information across their markets. The private sector has much to offer as we move to a national model.”
The eHealth Initiative and its Foundation are independent, non-profit affiliated organizations which bring together multiple, diverse stakeholders to achieve their shared mission, which is to improve the quality, safety and efficiency of healthcare through information and information technology.
For a copy of the eHealth Initiative’s recent report, “Emerging Trends and Issues in Health Information Exchange,” go to http://www.ehealthinitiative.org.
CONTACT: Karla Hurter for eHealth Initiative Foundation, +1-703-319-0957 or khurter@health2resources.com
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CONTACT: Karla Hurter for eHealth Initiative Foundation, +1-703-319-0957or khurter@health2resources.com
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