1. VERMONT INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LEADERS
Vermont Health Information Technology Plan Development Project Progress Brief
Presented By: VITL and HLN Consulting, LLC
For more information, please visit the VITL website at

2. Agenda Report on Project Kickoff Meeting
General Strategy/Organization of Plan Development
Preliminary Plan
Top Level Concepts Proposed by Working Group
Key Issues/Challenges in Developing the Plan
Next Steps and Important Dates

3. Project Kickoff Meeting
Meeting held November 1, 2006
Reviewed the Vermont Health Information Technology Plan legislation
Met the HLN team
Discussed deliverables, deadlines, schedule, and progress to-date
Proposed a development strategy and organization
Reviewed proposed plan outlines
Reviewed a matrix of features of other state plans

4. Project Kickoff Meeting (continued)
Received brief project updates from:
Hans Kastensmith – statewide assessment
Art Limacher – Blueprint CCIS
Craig Stevens – RTI initiatives
Judy Higgins – OVHA/GCR
Proposed and discussed a set of key challenges for plan development
Proposed and discussed a set of preliminary principles, goals, and barriers, as well as other potential “top level” concepts.

5. General Plan Strategy and Organization
Ad hoc working group (open to all) will provide advisory role
VITL Executive Committee will also participate
VITL Board will act as steering committee
Four VITL committees will contribute and advise
Interim and final documents on project website

6. Project Website

7. HLN Contract Summary Strategic direction and leadership
Project management
Content production
HLN is ultimately responsible for the production of the plan and to ensure that key stakeholders who do not participate in the work group are brought to the table via interviews.

8. Parallel Activities Craig Stevens / RTI
Hans Kastensmith / Statewide assessment
Lessons learned and barriers in:
VITL pilot
CCIS
Medicaid GCR
NECLA
VDH Immunization Registry
PHIN efforts

9. Preliminary Plan
Opportunity to be provocative, present a compelling vision
Present what is going to be in the final plan
Clarify and set expectations on scope
Convey the progress that VITL has made to date
Not a draft plan, but “the plan for the plan”

10. Preliminary Plan (continued)
10-15 pages seems right:
Background
Progress to date
A preview of what is going to be in the plan:
Discussion of Goals, Principles, Barriers, Vision
Audiences, Stakeholders (i.e., “Who the plan affects”)
Detailed outline and plan features

11. Top Level Concepts: Principles
HIE as a driver for improved HIT and EHI
Standards-based HIE, while not dictating all standards related to HIT (for example, more flexible on vocabulary, more strict on interchange standards)
Practical now, ideal later
To be clear on issues that stakeholders cannot agree on, that are currently in flux at the state or national level, and issues that are out of scope for this plan.
That the plan evolves and a structure exists to keep it updated (avoid “rip and tear”)

12. Top Level Concepts: Goals
Reduction of duplicate services
Improved patient safety
More comprehensive and proactive chronic care
Patient and caregiver control over medical information
Improved patient outcomes
Measurable outcomes

13. Top Level Concepts: Barriers
Lack of network access; Communications and network infrastructure especially to small and rural practices
Privacy and security issues
Capitalization, especially for small practices and hospitals
Lack of a communications plan.
Data quality

14. Top Level Concepts: Others
Not discussed thoroughly:
Vision (use cases)
Audiences (i.e., Legislators, Consumers, Providers, Doctor in small practice considering investing in an EMR)
Value

15. Key Issues/Challenges
Scope of the plan: HIT broadly speaking? Just HIE?
Is it a plan for VT or a plan for VITL?
How can VITL’s role be effectively communicated?
Can a compelling enough vision be articulated that resonates with a broad enough constituency, including consumers?

16. Key Issues/Challenges (continued)
Can we strike a balance between too much and too little detail?
Should the plan be structured around a key set of recommendations (like TX)?
How strongly should the consumer/patient control perspective be present in the plan?
Can the plan be sensitive to the varying perspectives of the state’s role?

17. Project Scope Diagram

18. Project Scope Diagram (continued)
Health Information Technology (HIT) is the infrastructure and data that helps to automate health care processes. Health Information Exchange (HIE) is the part of HIT that enables interoperability between systems and organizations. Together, through proper investment, they provide opportunities to improve the overall healthcare system.
While VITL is most concerned with HIE, Vermont’s Health Information Technology Plan will offer strategies for stakeholders to assess the compatibility of their own HIT investment decisions with the state’s direction. Standards ensure that investments are made consistently.

19. Next Steps
HLN will feed the lists of top-level concepts back to the working group, via the website, combined with some additional concepts gleaned from other state plans.
The working group is in the process of reviewing a set of features documented from other state and national plans. Members are identifying “top ten” and “bottom ten” features from the perspective of their organizations.
A follow-up meeting on November 8 will allow for further discussion on the concepts and challenges, a review of “top” and “bottom” features, and a more detailed discussion of possible plan outlines that have been proposed.

20. Important Dates Preliminary plan contents (11/8)
Assignments (11/8 – 11/15)
Draft (12/13)
Review period / Approval process (to 12/31)
Submission