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Health Informatics

Health Informatics is "the interdisciplinary study of the design, development, adoption and application of IT-based innovations in healthcare services delivery, management and planning." Procter, R. Dr. (Editor, Health Informatics Journal, Edinburgh, United Kingdom). Definition of health informatics [Internet]. Message to: Virginia Van Horne (Content Manager, HSR Information Central, Bethesda, MD). 2009 Aug 16 [cited 2009 Sept 21]. [1 paragraph]

Data, Tools, and Statistics

• Children's Electronic Health Record (EHR) Format - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - This format provides information to EHR system developers and others about the requirements that need to be present in an EHR system to address health care needs of children, especially those enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP.

• CHIRr: Consumer Health Informatics Research Resource - (National Library of Medicine (NLM) U.S.)  - This resource provides a resource of outcome variables and suggested measures to guide a comprehensive consumer health informatics assessment. The resource provides a reservoir of suggested outcome variables that make it easier to engage in health communication and related consumer health informatics intervention research.

• Congressional Budget Office Director's Blog - (Congressional Budget Office (CBO) US)  - Since its founding in 1974, the Congressional Budget Office has produced independent, nonpartisan, timely analysis of economic and budgetary issues to support the Congressional budget process. The agency's long tradition of nonpartisanship is evident in each of the dozens of reports and hundreds of cost estimates its economists and policy analysts produce each year.

• Electronic Medical Record/Electronic Health Record Systems of Office-based Physicians: United States, 2009 and Preliminary 2010 State Estimates - (National Center for Health Statistics, CDC (NCHS))  - Annual, nationally representative survey of patient visits that includes office-based physicians and collects information on the adoption and use of electronic medical records/electronic health records (EMRs/EHRs).

• HSRR (Health Services and Sciences Research Resources) - (National Library of Medicine, National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology)  - HSRR is a searchable database of information about research datasets, instruments/indices and software. Users may examine and compare characteristics of some of the resources employed in Health Services Research, the Behavioral and Social Sciences and Public Health. The database includes brief descriptions of research resources and links to PubMed. It also includes URLs of providers for additional information or access to the resources. HSRR is not a repository of the actual resources.

• National Conference of State Legislatures Health IT Tools and Resources - (National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL))  - This website provides access to a health information technology legislative tracking database as well as other resources and webinars related to health information technology.

• Rural Health Information Technology Toolkit - (Rural Assistance Center (RAC))  - This toolkit developed by the Rural Assistance Center (RAC) and the National Rural Health Resource Center (The Center) is designed to help rural providers find resources for HIT, electronic health records (EHR), meaningful use and related topics.

• State Health Information Exchange Toolkit - (Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, HHS (ONC))  - The Toolkit is a compilation of resources provided under the auspices of the State HIE Program sponsored by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC). The Toolkit is designed to support State HIE Leadership Forum participants the State HIE Program applicants and recipients of cooperative agreements who are either HIT Coordinators or leaders of state designated entities with practical how to guidance on developing and implementing plans for achieving statewide Interoperability that align with State HIE Program milestones.

• A Survey of Primary Care Physicians in 11 Countries, 2009: Perspectives on Care, Costs, and Experiences - (Commonwealth Fund)  - A study of more than 10,000 primary care physicians in 11 countries finds the United States lags far behind in terms of access to care, the use of financial incentives to improve the quality of care, and the use of health information technology. In other countries, national policies have sped the adoption of such innovations.

Guidelines, Journals, Other Publications, Webcasts/Video

• 2008 Information Technology Report to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology on Defining Key Health Information Technology Terms - (Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) U.S.)  - Report and literature review.

• AMIA Academic Forum: Biomedical Informatics Core Competencies - (American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA))  - AMIA has been working toward the development of informatics competencies with the academic units that constitute AMIA's Academic Forum. committee will gather to review your feedback at a two-day meeting on the Thursday immediately following the upcoming AMIA conference in Phoenix, Arizona. The committee will present a final manuscript for endorsement by Academic Forum members on June 17, 2010. If approved, the BMI Core Competencies will be presented to the AMIA Board of Directors for approval and publication in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA).

• Briefing on National Survey of Consumers and Health IT - (California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF))  - The California HealthCare Foundation hosted a briefing at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. to release the findings from a study on Americans' attitudes and experiences with health information technology. The findings document specific health benefits reported by people who have been using personal health records.

• Designing Consumer Health IT: A Guide for Developers and Systems Designers - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - This guide is aimed at IT developers, and presents the 10 recommendations that can be used to produce outstanding consumer IT products.

• EDM (Electronic Data Methods) Forum Publications - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - The EDM Forum has produced briefs and reports examining the use of electronic clinical data for comparative effectiveness research (CER), patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) and quality improvement (QI) that can lead to meaningful improvements in patient outcomes.

• Enabling Medication Management Through Health Information Technology (Health IT) - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - This report reviews the literature on the effects of health IT on medication management and synthesizes available evidence regarding the effectiveness and effects of health IT in all phases of medication management as well as reconciliation and education. Gaps are identified; recommendations are made.

• FireceHealthIT - (FierceMarkets US)  - Leading source of Healthcare IT news with a special focus on CPOE, EMR adoption, HIPAA compliance and other critical areas.

• The Future of Healthcare Innovations and Health Information Technology - Video Presentation - (American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC) US)  - On 20 January 2011, healthcare leaders gathered for influential roundtable on health information technology to look at innovative technologies from the perspective of key stakenholders.

• Health Communication & Informatics Research Resources - (National Cancer Institute, NIH (NCI))  - Lists links to health communication and informatics research. Topics include health informatics, health communication, cancer information, general health information, digital divide, risk communication bibliography, and conference information.

• Health Data Use, Stewardship, and Governance: Ongoing Gaps and Challenges: 7th Annual AMIA Invitational Health Policy Meeting - (American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA))  - Held on December 12-13, 2012, the focus of this meeting was to the further understanding and use of of health data, using emerging technology-enabled data.

• The Health Information Security and Privacy Collaboration (HISPC) Reports on State Law, Business Practices, and Policy Variations - (Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) U.S.)  - Conducted during 2009 as part of HISPC, this compendium of five reports detail variations in state law, business practices and policy related to privacy and security and the electronic exchange of health information.

• Health Information Technology - Web Tutorial - (American Medical Association (AMA))  - This program provides information to physicians about the link between workflow redesign and effective use of health information technology (health IT). The workflows will be presented in a series of short video tutorials. From this learning exercise, practices can proceed with greater confidence and develop the skill set to prepare for integrating technology to transform care delivery. The target audience for this program is physicians and practice staff in small practices who are faced with decisions regarding health IT.

• Health Information Technology and Health Data Standards at NLM - (National Library of Medicine (NLM) U.S.)  - Describes the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) role in the development of health information technology (HIT) and data standards. Also provides links to additional federal resources in the areas of HIT and data standards.

• Health IT Buzz - (Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, HHS (ONC))  - From the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), this blog was created to answer questions about the nation's transition to electronic health records and to create a conversation about the challenges and successes health care providers, physicians, practices, and organizations are experiencing as they transition from paper to electronic health records.

• Informatics for Consumer Health - (Department of Commerce (DOC) US, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) U.S., National Science Foundation (NSF) US)  - InformaticsForConsumerHealth.org involves stakeholders from various sectors-commercial IT, government, health care, education and research, advocacy-exchanging ideas and resources to bridge information technology and health care with the goal of improving behavioral support for all consumers. Access news and reports, articles, funding announcements, and events.

• Information on the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act - (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC))  - This site provides information on meaningful use and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act.

• Investing in Health IT: What the U.S. and Other Countries Are Learning: 10/29/10 Podcast - (Alliance for Health Reform US, Commonwealth Fund, Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) US)  - This briefing addressed questions such as: What have the U.S. and other countries learned from their experience with health IT? How is the adoption of this technology progressing in the U.S. across the many different types of health care settings? How are we developing standards for "meaningful use" of health IT?

• National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) Publications and Research - Link to various PDFs on state IT initiatives, surveys, reports, etc.

• NIST Guide to the Processes Approach for Improving the Usability of Electronic Health Records - (National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) US)  - Provides NIST guidance for those developing electronic health record (EHR) applications who need to know more about processes of user-centered design (UCD).

• NLM/AHRQ Medical Informatics and HSR Bridging the Gap Conference Slides - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), National Library of Medicine, NICHSR)  - AHRQ and NLM cosponsored a medical informatics and health services research training meeting, Bridging the Gap at the NLM on January 6-7, 2000. Information on the slide presentations and recommendations are available at this link.

• Public Health Informatics Glossary - (National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO))  - This is a glossary of Public Health informatics organizations, activities, and terms.

• Strengthening Medicaid with Health Information Technology (HIT): Are Providers & States Up to the Challenge? - (Alliance for Health Reform US)  - How can Medicaid health plans and providers use HIT to provide better care delivery and improve health outcomes while also reducing costs? How are states preparing to integrate their HIT systems with insurance exchanges by 2014? This Summer 2011 briefing addressed these questions and more.

• Using Electronic Health Records to Improve Quality and Efficiency: The Experiences of Leading Hospitals - (Commonwealth Fund)  - Encouraged by federal incentive payments promoting the use of health information technology and calls for health care providers to better coordinate care, a growing number of U.S. hospitals are adopting electronic health record (EHR) systems. This 2012 brief examines the experiences of nine hospitals that were early adopters and pioneering users of EHRs.

• White House Office of Science and Technology Documents and Reports - (Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) US)  - Links to several health information technology reports and webcasts, for example, Realizing the Full Potential of Health Information Technology to Improve Healthcare for Americans: The Path Forward.

• Widespread Adoption of Information Technology in Primary Care Physician Offices in Denmark: A Case Study - (Commonwealth Fund)  - Denmark leads the world in use of health care technology, with virtually all primary care physicians using electronic medical records with full clinical functionality. This case study looks at how it is done.

Key Organizations/Programs (Domestic)

• AcademyHealth: HIT for Actionable Knowledge - (AcademyHealth, California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF))  - AcademyHealth and its partners are producing case studies to capture key elements of the experiences in each health system, as well as two cross-cutting, comparative papers

• AHRQ National Resource Center for Health Information Technology - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - AHRQ initiative containing information on programs that promote the use of health information technology. Central repository for research findings from projects developing, testing, and using health IT applications.

• American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) - (American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA))  - Professional community that improves healthcare by advancing best practices and standards for health information management and the trusted source for education, research, and professional credentialing.

• American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) - The AMIA is the professional home for biomedical and health informatics. AMIA is dedicated to promoting the effective organization, analysis, management, and use of information in health care in support of patient care, public health, teaching, research, administration, and related policy.

• American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASSIS&T) Special Interest Group MED (SIGMED) - SIG/MED brings together members of various disciplines to evaluate the needs and problems of developing and managing medical information systems that can handle the complex uses to which they are put.

• Electronic Health Records (EHR) Incentive Programs - (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS))  - The Official Web Site for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Records. The Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs will provide incentive payments to eligible professionals, eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) as they adopt, implement, upgrade or demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR technology.

• FDA's Sentinel Initiative - (Food and Drug Administration (FDA) U.S.)  - Launched in May 2008 by FDA, the Sentinel Initiative aims to develop and implement a proactive system that will complement existing systems that the Agency has in place to track reports of adverse events linked to the use of its regulated products.

• Health Information Technology: Best Practices Transforming Quality, Safety, and Efficiency - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - This AHRQ initiative includes more than $260 million in grants and contracts in 41 states to support and stimulate investment in health IT, especially in rural and underserved areas. Through these and other projects, AHRQ and its partners will identify challenges to health IT adoption and use, solutions and best practices for making health IT work, and tools that will help hospitals and clinicians successfully incorporate new IT.

• Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) - (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society)  - 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 healthcare.

• HealthIT.gov - (Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, HHS (ONC))  - Resource to support the adoption of health information technology and the promotion of nationwide health information exchange to improve health care.

• HIMSS Foundation - (Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) USA)  - Established in 1986, the HIMSS Foundation serves as the philanthropic arm of HIMSS, providing support and assistance to the organization, its members, and the industry.

• Medical Informatics Section, Medical Librarians Association (MLA) - The Medical Informatics Section, established in 1988, provides a forum for education and communication among medical librarians, health professionals and other information sciences professionals. Access blogs, reports, professional development resources, etc..

• National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) - Represents state chief information officers and information technology executives and managers from the states, territories, and the District of Columbia.

• NLM Independent Career Development Award for Biomedical Informatics (K22) - (National Library of Medicine (NLM) U.S.)  - This grant would facilitate the transition of investigators from the mentored to the independent stage of their careers.

• NOVA Northern Virginia Community College: Health Information Technology Career Studies Certificate - This 23 credit curriculum program trains students in Health Information Technology to become competent in all aspects of workflow process analysis and redesign as it relates to: adoption, implementation, maintenance, and optimization phases of the transition to the use of electronic health record systems

• OpenNotes - (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF))  - The results of a study, this program invites patients to review their visit notes written by their doctors, nurses, or other clinicians, in an effort to improve communications between professionals and patients, and to better involve patients in their health care.

• Public Health Informatics Institute - (Public Health Informatics Institute (PHII))  - The Institute is known for its expertise as a neutral convener of public health professionals and their stakeholders, transforming health practitioners' ability to apply information effectively in order to improve health outcomes worldwide.

• VA Information Resource Center - (Health Services Research and Development Service, Veterans Administration (HSR&D))  - VIReC develops and disseminates knowledge about databases of interest to VA researchers; provides service to researchers who require information about data resources specific to their research; and represents interests of researchers regarding VA databases and information systems.

Key Organizations (International)

• American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) International Affairs Committee - (American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA))  - The mission of AMIA's International Affairs Committee is to participate in the international scientific community for biomedical informatics research and to support the increasing use of health informatics globally to improve public health and the quality and efficiency of health care.

• Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) International Divisions - (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society)  - Links to HIMSS Europe. There are Asia Pacific and Middle East divisions as well.

• International Health Terminology Standards Development Organisation (IHTSDO) - Not-for-profit association that develops and promotes use of SNOMED CT to support safe and effective health information exchange. SNOMED CT is a clinical terminology and is considered to be the most comprehensive, multilingual healthcare terminology in the world.

• International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) - Independent organization established under Swiss law in 1989. IMIA plays a major global role in the application of information science and technology in the fields of healthcare and research in medical, health and bio informatics.