COMMITTEES   |   Health IT Working Group

About the Working Group

Issue Statement:

The Health Information Technology Working Group will seek to examine the ways in which health IT initiatives, particularly state-driven health IT efforts, are developing and evolving. This group will initially focus on tracking and analyzing current state health IT efforts, healthcare reforms and the CIOs involvement within them.

Background:

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act set aside funding for Governor-designated state health information exchanges. In March 2010, ONC completed the announcement of State Health Information (State HIE) Exchange Cooperative Agreement Program awardees. In total, 56 states, eligible territories, and qualified State Designated Entities (SDE) received awards totaling nearly $550 million. Specifically:

• The Act gives states the lead in facilitating the creation of statewide exchanges (through grants); therefore,
• States will need to play a critical role in establishing governance structure for health information exchange

In addition, the President signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and the Health Care Education and Reconciliation Act of 2010 in March of 2010. Both of these bills, products of the health care reform agenda, have created new requirements for the states in both the near-term and long-term.

Goals and Objectives:

The Health Care Reform Acts build upon the efforts of the ARRA by promoting the use and implementation of health information technology. Examination and analysis of the PPACA and Health Care Education and Reconciliation Act of 2010 will provide guidance to the CIOs. By identifying the implications of these new laws, NASCIO and its members will be better prepared for implementing IT solutions for exchanges, web portals and expanded program areas. The Health IT Working Group seeks to advance the role of the state CIO in Health IT policy, architecture, governance and standard setting.

Committee Roster

Co-Chair: Lisa Feldner, PhD, State of North Dakota

Co-Chair: Teri Takai, State of California

George Boersma, State of Michigan Linda Boles, Cisco Systems Inc Harvey Chute, Northrop Grumman Robert M Dallas, Alcatel-Lucent Brian DeVore, Intel Sue Doby, State of Michigan Brian Erdahl, Deloitte Consulting LLP Scott Fairholm, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania John Galloway, Sierra Systems Deborah Gaymon, AT&T Tom Jarrett, LexisNexis Charles Leadbetter, Berry Dunn McNeil & Parker Daniele Loffreda, Fujitsu Network Communications

Mike Maxwell, Symantec Terry C. Miller, CSC Bob Nelson, SAS Institute Chris Oglesby, Policy Studies, Inc Holli Ploog, CGI Technologies & Solutions Inc Marylou Prevost, CA Technologies Mike Quinnelly, Oracle USA Inc Bob Raymond, NetApp Jim St Clair, Grant Thornton LLP Tim Study, HP David Taylor, State of Florida Ms. Kathy Twomey, Citrix Systems Amanda White, INPUT

Committee Publications

• Publications Archive

Profiles of Progress 4: State Health IT Initiatives
July 2010
Since Profiles of Progress was last released in April of 2009, there has been a tremendous flurry of activity due to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) announcing the recipients of the State Health Information Exchange Cooperative Agreement Program (State HIE). In addition, the funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) has started to be dispensed to state and regional efforts across the nation and will be used to invest, solidify and make sustainable health IT efforts in the states. The updated compendium, “Profiles of Progress 4: State Health IT Initiatives,” serves as a snapshot of how states are responding to the challenge of leading the implementation of health IT and what role, if any, the state CIO is playing in these efforts. The numerous revisions within the compendium reflect the expeditious growth and adoption of health IT over the past year. As government leaders increasingly support Health IT as a means to improve patient care and reduce costs it is imperative that states implement an enterprise-wide architecture for the statewide exchange of health information.

HITECH in the States:Action List for State CIOs
August 2009
In recent years, health information technology has grown from a burgeoning trend to a top policy priority for NASCIO as state CIOs from across the nation have become increasingly involved in health IT initiatives in their states. With billions of dollars now allocated to flow into health IT and health information exchange (HIE) initiatives around the country under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), this trend is only poised to accelerate. HITECH in the States: Action List for State CIOs examines the impact on states—and the implications for state CIOs—of the HITECH Act (ARRA’s health IT requirements) and outlines four broad areas in which state CIOs can have an immediate, and long-term, impact in regards to HIE: Planning, Governance, Financing/Sustainability and Policy. Additionally, this brief highlights the questions that state CIOs should be asking as they work to begin exploring their role within these HIE efforts and also features the affect of the HITECH Act on the Medicaid IT Architecture (MITA) initiative.

Profiles of Progress 3: State Health IT Initiatives
April 2009
The passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which allocated billions of dollars to flow into health IT initiatives across the country, has ushered forth a new era for health IT. This is an unprecedented moment for healthcare stakeholders and government, at all levels, to invest significant resources toward health IT and health information exchange initiatives. This compendium, “Profiles of Progress 3: State Health IT Initiatives,” is a product of NASCIO’s Health IT Working Group. It provides a state-by-state “snapshot” of progress that each state has made toward developing and implementing health information exchange and other health IT initiatives. It specifically examines the role of the state CIO in these efforts, and also includes an overview of the implications for health IT since the passage of the ARRA.

The MITA Touch: State CIOs and Medicaid IT Transformation
August 2008
Medicaid transformation, and incorporating information technology into these efforts, is among the fastest-growing trends in healthcare today.  With the introduction of the federal Medicaid IT Architecture (MITA) initiative, states are beginning to assess their current Medicaid systems and explore how the MITA initiative can foster information exchange and improve healthcare quality outcomes.  This brief, a product of NASCIO’s Health IT Working Group, examines the ways in which state CIOs can play a role in the MITA effort, and how their enterprise view contributes to the holistic vision that MITA promotes across state agencies and all levels of government. 

Profiles of Progress II: State Health IT Initiatives
September 2007
State governments are increasingly utilizing health information technology initiatives in order to reduce healthcare cost and improve patient care.  A product of NASCIO’s Health IT Working Group, this compendium provides a state-by-state “snapshot” of progress that each state has made in introducing health information technology (HIT) initiatives.  Each individual state profile features ways in which states are working toward HIT development and implementation.   An updated version of NASCIO’s 2006 document, this compendium highlights the rapid growth of state health IT initiatives and specifically examines the role of the state CIO in these efforts.

On the Road to RHIO: What State CIOs Need to Know
July 2007
A product of NASCIO’s Health IT Working Group, this brief examines the ways in which state CIOs can be involved in RHIO efforts in their states and emphasizes the importance for state CIOs to be aware of developments in health information exchange. It also explores the opportunities and challenges that all RHIOs face, despite the unique characteristics they each hold, and features real-world examples of how state CIOs are already involved in their state’s RHIO efforts.

Profiles of Progress: State Health IT Initiatives
November 2006
A product of NASCIO’s Health IT Committee, this compendium provides a state-by-state “snapshot” of progress that each state has made in the health information technology (HIT) implementation process. Each individual state profile highlights the steps that states are taking in regards to HIT issues, from Executive Orders and legislative-driven initiatives to public/private or public/non-profit partnerships. Most importantly, the compendium examines the roles and responsibilities the state CIO has in these efforts.

The (IT) Doctor is In: The Role of the State CIO in Health IT
February 2006
The brief is intended to help state CIOs—along with other stakeholders and policymakers—determine the appropriate role of the state CIO in guiding their states’ enterprise IT in keeping with the larger national effort to save lives and money in healthcare.

Health IT Links

• AHRQ’s National Resource Center for Health IT
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
  • MITA
• eHealth Initiative (eHI)
• Government Health IT magazine’s Latest News
• Healthcare IT News
• HIMSS
• HHS's Health Information Technology Web Site
• HHS’s Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)
  • ONC's American Health Information Community (AHIC)
  • ONC's Directory of Federal Health IT Programs
• NCSL's HITChampions
• NGA Health Reform Implementation Resource Center
• NGA State Alliance for eHealth
• NHINWatch's list of Operating RHIOs and RHIO Initiatives