• HIT figures prominently in GOP primary battle for Nevada

• Mostashari expects big year ahead for data exchange

• AMA, AHIMA at odds on ICD-10

Message from the President
 

Have you thought about the reasons you joined HIMSS? Was it for the opportunity to network with other healthcare IT professionals? HIMSS national resources? Career development? When I first entered the healthcare industry in 2004, I joined for all of the above and today it is truly an honor and a privilege to serve as your Maryland HIMSS Chapter President and work with our team of talented and hard-working board members and dedicated volunteer leaders.

This is an exciting time to be engaged in healthcare information technology as we face real challenges with healthcare reform, EHR adoption, Meaningful Use and Health Information Exchange to reduce costs and improve quality. The national spotlight is on us and our goal is to bring more healthcare IT professionals together to promote the exchange of experiences, best practices and assist with professional growth.

We are one of the largest chapters in the United States with membership approaching 1400. This represents a 40% increase over the last three years! Each year we offer three educational events and an advocacy day in Annapolis. Additionally, in an effort to bring more of us together, we have added a networking and golf event to give you the opportunity to connect in a more relaxed social environment. Thanks to the support of the Board and our vendor sponsors we are able to defray the majority of the cost of these events that enable you to talk one-on-one with industry experts.

Our continued success as a Chapter is based on all of us playing our part by actively participating and sharing our time and talents. As a member-run organization I welcome any member interested in becoming active to contact myself or one of the Maryland Chapter Board members at www.mdhimss.org.

On behalf of the Maryland HIMSS Board I want to thank you for your support and wish you a happy and healthy holiday season!  


Respectful yours,
Chris Panagiotopoulos
President, MDHIMSS

 

MDHIMSS – Subcommittees:  

MDHIMSS Program Planning Committee,Carol Thompson, Chair
 
 
Our 2011/2012 theme is “Meaningful Solutions in Healthcare” and our MDHIMSS Educational Events kicked off with a successful networking/ educational event on October 6, 2011 at the Ten Oaks Conference Center in Ellicott City. Over 190 members attended which included over 40 new MDHIMSS members. The event began with a cocktail hour and dinner followed by a speaker presentation. Our guest speaker was Stephanie Reel, VP and CIO of Johns Hopkins Medicine presenting on “Transformation Changes in Healthcare- Meaningful Solutions”. The content of the presentation was enlightening and humorous, focusing on the healthcare regulatory and operational challenges we face in developing meaningful solutions to aligning people, process and systems. Guiding principles for Johns Hopkins Medicine (JHM) were presented with a clear commitment to face uncertain times with structure and standardization across the continuum of care to better serve JHM patient needs. The program evaluations were overwhelmingly positive, citing the benefits of sharing issues and lessons learned across the MD HIMSS community. Enhancements to our registration process changes this year, offer a tiered registration process and an opportunity to convert non member fees to an annual MDHIMSS membership. We will continue to offer a tiered registration process for the remaining educational events.

Our second educational event was held on November 1, 2011 at the Sheppard Pratt Conference Center. The theme was “Meaningful Solutions & Tools for Success”. The morning presentations focused on the MHA collaborative, lessons learned from Maryland’s first hospital to successfully attest for Meaningful Use reimbursement, Mobile Computing options, and progress updates from the CRISP initiatives. The afternoon session began with a look at resource guides and industry updates from National HIMSS relating to ICD 10 and ended with a panel discussion including speakers from University of Maryland, Carefirst, Johns Hopkins Hospital, and National HIMSS.

Special thanks to the MD HIMSS Program Planning Committee: Barbara Haller, Brian Zernhelt, Karen Marie Wilding, Sharon Rochon, Steve Meier, Roberta Griffith, Susan Hollabaugh and Mike Boyle for all their support with planning meaningful educational sessions for our MD HIMSS members. Your opinion is important to us so please remember to fill out a program evaluation form after each educational event.

Our next educational event is scheduled for Wednesday January 18, 2011 at the Sheppard Pratt Conference Center. Our topic is “Health Information Technology Operations - Best Practices.” Please remember to register early to benefit from the low cost of early registration. The slides from all educational events are posted on the MDHIMSS website for your review. Thank you for your past support and we are looking forward to seeing you at future MD HIMSS events.  
 
 
MDHIMSS Advocacy Committee, Kathryn Whitmore, Advocacy Co-Chair
 
What’s New?
 

So, what’s all the ‘buzz’ about the Advocacy Committee this year you ask? Why have we had more inquires and volunteers choosing to participate in this committee than ever before? Well, let us enlighten you … the answer is simple but very exciting! Maryland continues to be a leader in the nation on healthcare delivery innovations recognizing that HIT is a strategic priority and key enabler to successfully meeting state goals.

The federal healthcare reform agenda has created the ideal backdrop for Maryland healthcare goals and priorities to be further enhanced and executed. As you know, Maryland has made healthcare reform and HIT/EHR adoption a priority. Maryland continues to pass legislation that will help guide the implementation and modernization of Maryland’s healthcare infrastructure for consumers and providers. As examples, Maryland has invested state funds in the Chesapeake Regional Information System for our Patients (CRISP) HIE, requires payers to support the HIE, operates a Health Care Reform Coordinating Council and recently created a Healthcare Reform Office, and is initiating a Health Benefits Exchange just to name a few. This leading edge agenda further highlights the priority and enthusiasm towards HIT advocacy in Maryland.

To build upon this momentum, we are also taking the Advocacy Committee goals to another level this year. While conducting HIT Day is a key priority, it will not be the only focus of the committee. We are also embracing additional goals this year that expand advocacy activities beyond HIT Day planning and execution. We are creating a core team of interested advocates who will be ‘on call’ to rapidly respond to requests from legislators. In the past MDHIMSS has been requested to occasionally provide content input to a bill being drafted, edit a draft bill for accuracy of HIT requirements, and even provide testimony in Annapolis for bills under debate on the floor. While we have assisted in an adhoc manner to these requests, our goal this year is to be prepared with a nimble team that will be more active in events in Annapolis and create the forum for legislator outreach. This proactive stance and ability to offer assistance will help realize the passing of legislation in Maryland that furthers our collective HIT goals.

Of course, the Advocacy Committee is also well on its way to planning the 5th annual MDHIMSS HIT Day in Annapolis, scheduled on Tuesday, February 7, 2012. Our agenda is focused on HIT Supporting Healthcare Reform and specifically will showcase ‘HIT Transformation in Action’ to share information and educate Maryland legislators. As in past years, the heart of our program is to spend time visiting with Delegates and Senators in their offices to personally provide them with information about Maryland HIMSS and HIT topics that affect their constituents. Lunch will be provided. Our program begins at 11:00am at Governor Calvert House, 58 State Circle, Annapolis. We plan to have a Maryland state government healthcare leader make opening remarks regarding the state's innovation and national leadership position we are achieving in healthcare reform and accordingly HIT. We are lining up a keynote address from the Office of the National Coordinator for HIT to share the national vision on continued HIT enablement of healthcare reform with key focus on meaningful use, consumer engagement, and the correlation to Maryland goals. We are planning a panel discussion with focus on local success stories and challenges of innovative HIT implementations. Visits with legislators will follow the panel discussion and our door prize drawing will be done again when the day wraps up at 5pm.

We thank you for your contribution to these goals and your participation in the ‘buzz’ in Maryland! If you are interested in participating on the Advocacy Committee or our new rapid response team, please contact one of the Co-Chairs to discuss: Kathryn Whitmore at 443.742.4643 or KathrynWhitmore@stsconsultinggroup.com or Steve Fox at 202.661.6940 or sjfox@postschell.com.

MDHIMSS Hospital Spotlight 

Western Maryland Health System
Cumberland, Maryland
 

Bill Byers is the VP/CIO of Western Maryland Health System which is comprised of a 275 bed hospital opened November, 2009 in Cumberland and an eighty-eight resident nursing and rehabilitation center in Frostburg, MD

Being part of the planning, construction and eventual move of two hospitals into one new facility was a once in a lifetime opportunity for Bill and his team. In addition to moving two data centers (a primary and backup) to the new campus, a clean sheet of paper design allowed Western Maryland Hospital System (WMHS) to install many new systems to improve efficiency, safety and patient satisfaction. Systems such as way finding, IP-based video surveillance, access control, voice over IP phones and VoIP trunking all ride on the hospital network across the new campus. In addition, systems such as infant security, patient tracking, patient monitoring, and nurse call all integrate through a central call center, with critical alarms from all systems automatically pushed to one of 500 mobile Ascom WiFi phones carried by nurses, supervisors and security officers. There was a tremendous amount of new technology to integrate and Bill is pleased to report that all has worked as designed!

Before the new hospital opened, WMHS went live with bedside medication verification/eMAR and transfusion administration with great success. As a MEDITECH Magic hospital, WMHS is now in the process of bringing live computerized provider order entry and real-time physician documentation as the final pieces needed to become a meaningful user of IT in 2012. In the past year, WMHS has been successful in deploying eClinicalWorks’ ambulatory EMR to over 1/3 of their local practices. Interfaces are now sending results to these practices and to two other local practices via CRISP. Once testing is complete in a few weeks, WMHS will be able to receive electronic orders from these providers as well transfer CCD’s to/from MEDITECH to other EMRs. Other projects currently underway include network admission/access control which has allowed them to deploy a secure, campus-wide wireless solution for our providers and allow them to BYOD (bring your own device) to access MEDITECH and other resources in a safe and secure manner. And later this year home monitoring capabilities will be added to homecare as a way to improve patient compliance, speed healing and prevent readmissions.

Looking to FY13, upcoming initiatives at WMHS include business/clinical intelligence integrating both MEDITECH and eClinicalWorks to span the continuum of care; automating the radiation and medical oncology departments; and increasing clinical surveillance capabilities. Turning data into information will be a major focus going forward.

Established in 1897, Peninsula Regional Medical Center (PRMC) has maintained an unwavering commitment to providing the highest quality care to the residents of the Delmarva Peninsula. Throughout its 114 year history emphasis has been placed on providing advanced capabilities and technologies “close to home.” Beginning in 1994, the Medical Center established a vision for an electronic medical record as a fundamental element of the foundation required to support improvements in quality; safety and efficiency in the care delivery process.

Over the past 25+ years the foundation laid in the mid-90’s has continued to evolve and expand becoming integral to virtually every care delivery and operational process within PRMC. From full adoption of CPOE, to eMAR, closed loop medication management including point-of-administration bar-code scanning, medication reconciliation, document and medical image archival, e-ICU, advanced clinical decision support capabilities, real-time clinical alerts and a developing regional health information exchange - today’s integrated electronic medical record is achieved via a myriad of applications, integration and interfaces drawing information from sources throughout the Medical Center and beyond. Supporting access and use of this critical information utility by the thousands of clinicians and ancillary staff within our region requires an on-going investment in resources – people and technology.

The Information Services Department at Peninsula Regional is comprised of 57 dedicated individuals having the diverse range of knowledge, skills and expertise required to insure that the information and capabilities required are available when and where needed 24 by 7, 365 days a year. Despite its rural location, PRMC has been successful in hiring, developing and retaining its team of skilled IT professionals most having local roots in the region. Without this team, the accomplishments, capabilities and recognition would not be possible.

With demands to reduce costs, increase efficiency and improve outcomes – the role of information technology is key to our organization’s continued success. Given the efforts of the past and the vision for our future, Peninsula Regional is well positioned to achieve goals for Meaningful Use attestation, ICD 10 readiness, changing reimbursement models and continued improvements in the coordination of care within our community – capabilities that would not be possible without a solid foundation of information technology and the dedicated team of professionals that support it.

• 57 FTE’s within Information Services division
• Employees - 2,750+
• Physicians – 300+
• User accounts – 5,200+
• Vital Statistics (FY11)
• 360 bed Acute Care, 30 bed Transitional Care
• Admissions – 23, 291
• ED Visits – 84,260
• Outpatient Visits – 479,937
• Operating Budget IS / Total - $11.9M / $379M (3.16%)
• Capital Budget IS / Total - $3.2M / $19M (16.8%)

Calling All Recruiters—Is Anyone Out There?

MDHIMSS Guest Writer, Deborah Walker, Certified Career Management Coach

Online job services were meant to automate the job search process and get job seekers in front of prospective new employers quicker. How well is it working for you? If you’ve sent out dozens of resumes and gotten little or no response it probably feels like you’re shooting your resume out into some vast black hole with no recipient at the other end. Do you feel like shouting “hey, is anyone out there?”
To better your odds of that your resume is being seen by a real person who can offer you a real job, here are three guideline to make your resume more effective.
 

1. Include Key Words

With paper resumes a thing of the past, employers use candidate tracking data bases to store resumes. Recruiters and hiring managers use key words to query for appropriately matching candidate resumes. If you aren’t using the right words to describe your employment experiences, then your resume might be rejected before it’s ever seen. Review key words your resume uses to:
 

• Describe your current career objective. Do your qualifications match the job description? Look closely at areas listing your technical skills, job responsibilities and core competencies.

• Attract your industry. Are you using your industries current buzzwords? Avoid obsolete terms and phases that may label you as behind the times.

• Attract your occupational field. Does your resume give the impression of that you’re on the cutting edge or over the hill? 
   

2.     Use the Correct Electronic Version

If your resume can’t be opened as an attachment, then it can’t be seen. Because of the threat of computer viruses many companies only accept resumes through their own online forms which ask you to cut and paste (rather than attach) your resume. Make sure you are sending your resume in a format that will work for the recipient.
 

• If a resume attachment is requested: Save your resume as a Word document (.doc or .rft). This is the standard most companies use. It should retain the formatting that you used for your resume so long as you avoid fancy formatting options such as columns, boxes and tables.

• If an email or online form is used:Use ASCII, plain text, or text only. This removes formatting, but the information is preserved. Be sure to review your resume before sending it so that it is still easy to read and user friendly.

3.   Make Your Resume stand out from the Crowd
With hundreds of candidates to choose from, what makes your resume shout “Pick me!”? If your qualifications are similar or equal to the vast majority of other candidates, employers will need a compelling reason to select you out of the crowd. You need a differentiating edge or you’ll be ignored.
The best way to differentiate your resume from others is with accomplishments. And those accomplishments really stand out when:
 

• They are quantified or measurable. Can you define how much you accomplished in dollars saved, contracts won, or percent changed?

• They highlight your transferable skills. Can your skills be used by this company, even if your job experience is in a different industry? Transferrable skills help employers visualize you in their organization.

• They show corporate impact. How can you help them save time, save money, increase their profit margin, improve sales, or increase revenue?

While the Internet is still a great tool for job seekers to connect quickly with employers, take steps to insure your resume won’t get ignored by employers who need your skills. Before you apply online again, use these three tips to make sure your resume gets the attention it deserves!

 

Application for MDHIMSS Scholarship 2012
 

MDHIMSS annually awards a $2,500 scholarships.  Scholarships are awarded to students studying in the healthcare information system field or a related computer science field. Applicant must reside or attend school in Maryland, carry a minimum of 4 credits per semester and have a 3.0 GPA.  In addition to the scholarship, MDHIMSS will award the recipient with a one year membership to MDHIMSS, one year assignment as a student member of the MDHIMSS Program Committee, and free attendance at the MDHIMSS educational programs for one year.

Click here for the Scholarship Application

MDHIMSS annually awards a $2,500 scholarship.  Scholarships are awarded to students enrolled in certification or technical programs in the area of computer technology, networking, telecommunications related to a healthcare information system field. Applicant must reside or attend school in Maryland, complete a minimum of three classes in an academic year and have minimum GPA of 3.0. In addition to the scholarship, MDHIMSS will award the recipient with a one year membership to MDHIMSS, one year assignment as a student member of the MDHIMSS Program Committee and free attendance at the MDHIMSS educational programs for one year.

Click here for the Technical Scholarship Application

  
Marisa L. Wilson DNSc MHSc RN-BC
Director, Masters Programs
Assistant Professor
University of Maryland School of Nursing
655 West Lombard Street, Room 455D
Baltimore, MD 21201
410.706.2986begin_of_the_skype_highlightingend_of_the_skype_highlighting
wilson@son.umaryland.edu
 
Completed applications must be postmarked no later than April 30, 2012.  Scholarships will be awarded June 2012.