HIMSS 2011 Summary Thoughts

Nov. 10, 2011

The largest HIMSS ever. Incredible presentations by keynote speakers and content speakers. The most important events may be the dialogue meetings with the Director, Associate Director and staff of the Office Of National Coordinator of HIT. I personally attended seven of those: two with the Director and five with the Associate Director. There were many constituencies who were invited to meet with the ONC.

James L. Holly, M.D.

My personal reaction was that of being impressed with the knowledge and enthusiasm of the ONC staff. They have a realistic estimation of the complexity of meaningful use and believe that their plan is a good one. The major caution addressed by those invited to the meetings was concern about the timing of the various stages and functions particularly in the face of 5010, ICD-10 and SNOMED. With Dr. Blumenthal returning to Harvard, it was reassuring to see what good hands the Department will be in when he departs.

The ONC’s response to SETMA’s work was gratifying. The most response came from our Public Reporting by Provider of over 200 Quality Metrics at www.setma.com. They are very receptive to input from healthcare providers and/or organizations who have a “story to tell” and/or who are doing some or all of what they are commissioned to see all providers do.

On Monday evening the Healthcare Informatics Magazine’s Innovator Award was presented in an elegant reception. My wife video taped SETMA’s acceptance of the second place award. We are going to get our IT Department to tell us how to copy that so all can see it. Copies of the February issue of the magazine were distributed and hundreds of people congratulated me for SETMA’s achievement. This is a very prestigious award. I brought home copies of the magazine and all three SETMA clinics have professionally-prepared displays of the articles about the Innovator’s Award. I told the audience that SETMA’s response to this award will be to work harder to create new and innovative solutions to complex problems in healthcare.

Without sounding gratuitous, I wish to state that I was very impressed with all of the staff of Healthcare Informatics senior staff, particularly Mark Hagland, Charlene Marietti, John DeGaspari and Jennifer Prestigiacomo. Healthcare providers and organizations have good friends in these and others at the magazine. Their contribution to the stimulation and support of advances in technologically-driven excellence in healthcare delivery will only increase over the years.

The results of this HIMSS makes me judge that the future is bright for healthcare, for the recipients of healthcare and for those who contribute to the growth and development of the tools of healthcare.