I’ve started talking with some people about putting together an EMR conference. The main focus of the conference would be practical knowledge and skills to be able to understand the EMR stimulus and to deal with the EMR selection and implementation process. Here’s a short list of the types of sessions I’m considering:
-EMR Selection – Getting Buy-In
-EMR Selection – Vendors
-EMR Contracts
-EMR Implementation
-IT Support Panel
-EMR Reporting/Customization/Interfaces
-Open Source/Free EMR
-ARRA/HITECH Incentives
-EMR Interoperability
-PHR
Looks like it’s likely going to happen in the Baltimore area. I’m really interested to find out if there would be interest in this type of conference. Here’s a poll to help me gauge interest:
Also, I’d love to hear feedback on the above list of sessions. Is there something missing or something you wish you could hear?
Hi John, I think Privacy & Security should be added too. Grant it these should be built into the product, but there are different concerns to focus on if a provider goes with a SaaS/Cloud model versus in-house.
Second, knowing you I would assume that you are going to cover workflow changes/optimization in the Implementation session. Some may argue that that could be a session in itself.
Also, there are other (dare I say ancillary) concerns about EMR system use that we at nControl have been helping practices with, namely physical access (for on-site implementations), remote access, BCP/DR and Incident Response planning.
Thanks,
Steve
Steve,
Good points. I debated the Privacy and Security stuff. It will be a part of some of the other presentations and I also think that many people don’t care much about it. They want it to be private and secure and then they don’t pay it much attention. Just reality I think.
Yes, workflow changes/optimization will be part of implementation. I think implementation could be broken down a few different ways. Similar to selection.
I think most of the ancillary concerns could be nicely addressed in the IT panel.
Thanks for the thoughts.
A session on how small physician practices can find and apply for grants allocated by the economic stimulus package, including criteria on what makes them eligible.
Hopefully John, you’ll publish summaries of the conference sessions on your blog, or a link to them? I’m not able to attend partially because of the east coast location. Thanks!
Eunice,
It seems like the ARRA/HITECH incentives should cover the grant area.
Summaries are interesting. We’ll have to see what I can do. No doubt much of what’s said will be in the e-books which I’m working to finish also. So, that would be one way. Plus, if it’s a success, we’re likely to bring it to the west coast as well.
Hi John,
Maybe just publishing the power points of the presenters would be sufficient for the short-term, if they are willing to give them to you. Absentees can often get a fair amount of info. out of power point slide outlines.
Thanks, and have a great holiday!
Eunice
When are you tentatively planning to hold the conference? Are you looking for speakers? I would be happy to conduct a one-hour presentation/workshop on The Three Levels of Integration which is an overview of the different types of implementation issues we face. It incorporates many of the prospective topics you listed. It is the overview of the integration hurdles we face with discussion at the end to hear how the different types of integration issues are impacting people.
Peggy,
We’re definitely looking around for the right people to present at this conference. I have some people in mind, but could use some others to round it out. I’ll drop you a note and thanks for your interest.
John,
I am concerned with some of the specialty medicine aspects of EMR, specifically those of Oncology. Do you think there would be room for discussion of the different types of workflows different types of practices face? I would love some outside views of how different Oncology practices plan to convert their workflows to an electronic form.
I am also interested in learning more about different in-house architectures.
-Nick
Nick,
Not a problem. I’ll create a future post to solicit people’s suggestions in this regard. Do you happen to have an example oncology EMR workflow that I could use to spur discussion?
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