1 An Overview of Process and Procedures for Health IT Collaboration GSA Office of Citizen Services and Communications Intergovernmental Solutions Division GSA Office of Citizen Services and Communications Intergovernmental Solutions Division Collaborative Expedition Workshop #50 Collaborative Expedition Workshop #50 Open Collaboration: Networking Health Open Collaboration: Networking Health Information Technology Information Technology April 18, 2005 April 18, 2005

2 GSA Intergovernmental Solutions Division (ISD) Mission Statement The mission of ISD is to improve the delivery of government services to citizens by fostering a collaborative environment among federal, state, local and foreign governments and intergovernmental organizations.

3 ISD Has Three Major Goals We will foster a collaborative environment by reaching three goals: Ensure that State and local governments are represented and participate in the President’s high impact intergovernmental initiatives Expand the Intergovernmental Community to broaden the scope of collaboration, maximize information sharing of best practices for citizens services, and maximize redundant efforts Increase awareness of emerging and existing intergovernmental initiatives and issues throughout the Intergovernmental community

4 The Need for Collaboration Changing healthcare practices Changing healthcare practices Higher patient expectations Higher patient expectations Outdated infrastructures Outdated infrastructures Rising healthcare costs Rising healthcare costs Tightly constrained budgets Tightly constrained budgets

5 Collaborative Initiatives Collaborating allows healthcare and other organizations to pool resources to work on health information systems and mutually beneficial initiatives neither could accomplish on its own. Collaborations tend to be within organizations, between organizations or even between nations. And following certain general steps can mean success.

6 Phase One: Identifying Opportunities Establish a health IT sharing program. Continuously collect information on potential sharing partners Establish a health IT sharing database Store large amounts of data to enable monitoring of current and potential sharing activities, and share it inside and outside Analyze and identify sharing opportunities that might help address internal operational needs, for the CIO to select

7 Helpful Factors Before Pursuing Collaboration Consider: Organizational needs that lend themselves to potential sharing opportunities Mandates, such as from Congress or the CEO of your organization Benefits of all partners based on objective analysis of existing systems and planned implementations Alignment with mission and goals of partnering and leadership organizations

8 Phase Two: Establishing the Project Communicate an initial contact message and convey it to each potential partner to include: An introduction to the health IT sharing program manager and a brief description of the program A summary of the proposed health information sharing initiative and an inquiry about interest in pursuing it A request for a point of contact, address and phone number from each potential partner

9 Support Sharing Project Champions As formal collaboration documents are being prepared: Develop the business case for major projects Prepare formal sharing agreements detailing terms of the partnership Obtain necessary approvals and funding Schedule follow-up meetings, track progress, record accomplishments

10 Establish a Formal Governance Structure For an inter-organizational project include: An executive oversight committee composed of senior management with specific responsibility and authority Key working groups to address, at minimum, financial contracting and legal issues A PM with strong leadership and negotiation skills, and clear understanding of the culture and environment of partnering organizations An effective project management team from each partnering organization

11 Phase Three: Planning and Implementing the Collaboration Project The role of Project Management is to oversee implementation from startup to closeout including: Establish project milestones taking into account the partners’ priorities and resources Facilitate negotiations across partnering organizations to obtain needed resources Ensure all partners participate in developing IT systems functional and technical requirements Track, monitor and report on progress and challenges Ensure communications and coordination among organizations

12 Phase Four: Expanding and Transferring Knowledge Evaluate success Compile lessons learned Communicate how the original business goals were accomplished Be proactive in advancing the knowledge gained to foster future inter-organizational collaboration initiatives

13 The President’s Commitment to Health Information Technology “We will make wider use of electronic records and other health information technology, to help control costs and reduce dangerous medical errors.” – President George W. Bush State of the Union Address January 31, 2006 Under the Leadership and Message of ONC: “Strategic actions embraced by the public and private health sectors need to be taken over many years.” Goal 1: Inform Clinical Practice Goal 2: Interconnect Clinicians Goal 3: Personalize Care Goal 4: Improve Population Health

14 For More Information Intergovernmental Solutions Division Click on What’s New for: Healthcare Informatics, “The Health IT Sharing Project” By Peter Groen and Marc Wine March “Health IT in Government – Transforming Healthcare and Empowering Citizens” A Report by the Intergovernmental Advisory Board March ngHealthCareEmpoweringCitizens.pdf Marc Wine, M.H.A. Program Analyst GSA Intergovernmental Solutions Division