1. Connecting Pennsylvanians for Better Health:
Recommendations from the
Pennsylvania eHealth Initiative
Approved by
PAeHI Board of Directors
April 25, 2007
This document was made possible in part by the assistance the of eHealth Initiative and drawing on their work in development of the Michigan Health Information Network’s Conduit to Care, December 2006

2. PAeHI – Guiding Principles
Guiding Principle 1: Patient’s come first.
Guiding Principle 2: Consumer privacy, security and confidentiality are paramount.
Guiding Principle 3: Multi-stakeholder collaboration is needed to implement achievable and measurable initiatives in order to show early progress and value.
PAeHI view it’s big steps in:
Planning session in January
Multi-year plan Strategic Plan
Create a formal Operating Entity
Addressing the objectives
Watching the Landscape
Summit in the spring of 07
Continue to publish it’s newsletter
Survey of Capabilities

3. Evolution Requirements of the Electronic Aggregate Health Record
PAeHI view it’s big steps in:
Planning session in January
Multi-year plan Strategic Plan
Create a formal Operating Entity
Addressing the objectives
Watching the Landscape
Summit in the spring of 07
Continue to publish it’s newsletter
Survey of Capabilities

4. Choosing our Building Blocks
Source : AHIMA

5. PAeHI - Roles
Identify opportunities for Pennsylvanians to use HIT and HIE to improve healthcare.
Educate the public providers and policy makers regarding the benefits and challenges of HIT and HIE.
Coordinate the efforts of all Pennsylvania HIT and stakeholders.
Identify opportunities to coordinate with and benefit from federal initiatives.
Develop statewide consensus on established and emerging standards (e.g., data, communication and reporting).
Work with providers, payers, policy makers to define business cases for HIT and HIE.
PAeHI view it’s big steps in:
Planning session in January
Multi-year plan Strategic Plan
Create a formal Operating Entity
Addressing the objectives
Watching the Landscape
Summit in the spring of 07
Continue to publish it’s newsletter
Survey of Capabilities

6. Privacy and Confidentiality Important Area of Focus
Increasingly, this is becoming an issue
It is imperative, that state and regional initiatives tackle these issues responsibly on the front end, with great care, to build and maintain public trust
PAeHI will work with eHI and Connecting Communities to take on this issue in 2007 and support responsible practices and policies in the field, to build and maintain public trust
Health Care is
Experiencing a spiritual journey like no other time before
Caused by the gap between Technology
Changing face of Health Care caused by the 9/11 effect and the high cost of Health Care.
Truly exciting times
We can reap the benefits of HIT to improve the quality of care and reduce costs.
Never been a time in US Healthcare
So much effort has been on Technology
Catalyst for transformation of care and involving Patients in their own care.
RHIOs are forming at a remarkably rapid rate across the country.
2 years ago - fewer than a dozen of these organizations in the formative stages.
1 year ago, there were approximately 110 RHIO
Last count, there were just over 200
The journey has begun
Much uncertainty and debate exist toward a truly sharable and interoperable EHR
Doubt Is slowly eroding
Momentum building
More than 30 Ambulatory EMR products certified.
Recognition who acquired and implemented EHR - good for relationship patients
Worth the eventual investment.
The Pennsylvania's HC community is working collectively – like no other time before
Increase interest in EMR use and adoption
While Pennsylvania may lag in physician EMR adoption rates today
Providers are focusing and making the investment

7. Barriers PAeHI role still evolving-few in advanced stage
Federal IRS Status still pending
Sustainable value proposition
Financing & operations still questionable
Achievable technical architecture
Still in process of defining value
Diversity and size of PA
Progress – never fast enough
Architectural debate
42% of efforts focus on governance & policy
Increase involvement at local & provider levels
PAeHI view it’s big steps in:
Planning session in January
Multi-year plan Strategic Plan
Create a formal Operating Entity
Addressing the objectives
Watching the Landscape
Summit in the spring of 07
Continue to publish it’s newsletter
Survey of Capabilities

8. Opportunities for PAeHI
Positioned for statewide HIT collaboration
Education – Standards/Certification/Funding Sources
Catalyst for informing providers & citizens on HIT
Collaboration will increase need for local efforts and providers
A Private-Public sector opportunity– less government
A single neutral convener
Organizationally positioned for a HIT utility
Serve as institute for HIT
Bridge between public health & personal care sectors
HIT Facilitator - patient care mostly paper
Leader for Collective Medical trading area analysis
Can fill the Gaps that currently exist in PA for NHIN
Can build a HIE
If – Not if but WHEN the PAeHI is successful :
Can facilitate faster adoption of EHRs in PA
Without adoption – cannot influence interoperability
We see the value in :
Universal Care through HIT
Positive affect on Premiums
Positively affect Quality
Statewide connectivity can reduce rate of infections
Reduce health disparities
Can help Pennsylvania Manage chronic disease
Leverage HIT & education
Improve data reporting
Faster identification of disease

9. PAeHI - Next Steps Actualize Multi-year Strategic Plan
New goals for standing committees
Charter Policy Committee (includes legal issues)
Support local HIE special interest group
Follow up on findings of ePrescribing Discovery Group
Identify specific operational HIT priorities
Seek Operating and Project-specific Funding
Engage dedicated staff
Continue Quarterly Newsletter
Education Events
Maintain a pulse on PA’s HIT landscape
Serve as conduit eHI/Connecting Communities
Expand involvement of members
PAeHI view it’s big steps in:
Planning session in January
Multi-year plan Strategic Plan
Create a formal Operating Entity
Addressing the objectives
Watching the Landscape
Summit in the spring of 07
Continue to publish it’s newsletter
Survey of Capabilities

10. What Does All of this Mean?
Continued interest in state and regional health information exchange initiatives
Likely a combination of national, regional and local approaches
Seeing more alignment now coming from Administration on how national standards and policies work syncs up with efforts at the state and regional effort
Alignment of quality and health information exchange is a sweet spot
Privacy and confidentiality a key, key issue!
Health Care is
Experiencing a spiritual journey like no other time before
Caused by the gap between Technology
Changing face of Health Care caused by the 9/11 effect and the high cost of Health Care.
Truly exciting times
We can reap the benefits of HIT to improve the quality of care and reduce costs.
Never been a time in US Healthcare
So much effort has been on Technology
Catalyst for transformation of care and involving Patients in their own care.
RHIOs are forming at a remarkably rapid rate across the country.
2 years ago - fewer than a dozen of these organizations in the formative stages.
1 year ago, there were approximately 110 RHIO
Last count, there were just over 200
The journey has begun
Much uncertainty and debate exist toward a truly sharable and interoperable EHR
Doubt Is slowly eroding
Momentum building
More than 30 Ambulatory EMR products certified.
Recognition who acquired and implemented EHR - good for relationship patients
Worth the eventual investment.
The Pennsylvania's HC community is working collectively – like no other time before
Increase interest in EMR use and adoption
While Pennsylvania may lag in physician EMR adoption rates today
Providers are focusing and making the investment