DRAFT: Outreach Committee Minutes: December 22, 2006

Attendance:

Mark Meiners

Leslie Ellwood

Susan Khorsand

Ian Kremer

Jan Crooks

Jo Ann Allen

Most of the meeting was a discussion of talking points.  However, at the end of the meeting, we discussed with Dr. Ellwood work being done by the Patient committee to conduct focus groups.

Talking points about the general purpose of the NOVA RHIO (http://nvrhio.gmu.edu/) with differentiated versions at least for the following audiences:

  local media

  potential funders

  consumers

  providers

  payers

  potential new members of the Committee and/or the full NOVA RHIO group

1.  What is a RHIO?

a.  Should we consider calling this a “Personal Health Record” rather than it “Digital” or “Electronic” which may be more worrisome to consumers concerned about privacy?

b.  Improved care is the driving force behind the myriad health information exchange efforts sweeping across the country. A northern Virginia RHIO will be no different, seeking to improve care, reduce errors, increase emergency response capabilities and make the most efficient use of health care dollars and resources—all in a secure environment.

2.  What can a RHIO do?

a.  Improve Patient Care

         i.  Improve patient safety

1.  Accurate and timely information

2.  improve communication between family physician and specialist and/or hospital/emergency physician

3.  improved access to potentially life-saving information for first responders (EMT, fire & rescue)

4.  Reduce mis-diagnosis and related medical errors

5.  Reduce prescription errors and adverse drug interactions

6.  Facilitate family caregiver involvement in decision-making and patient adherence to health planning

7.  provide patients with written, detailed explanations

a.  diagnosis

b.  physician instructions

c.  treatment plan/caregiver instructions

d.  web links for additional or related medical information and social services from recommended sources

         ii.  Disaster preparedness/response

b.  Increase patient satisfaction

         i.  Eliminate repetitive paper work

         ii.  Speed lab and diagnostic results

         iii.  Expedite prescriptions and referrals

c.  Improve Health Care System Safety and Operational Efficiency

         i.  Reduce staff time and related costs for managing information

         ii.  Speed billing process

         iii.  Improve prescription management

         iv.  Improve communication between hospitals, residential care facilities and individual physicians

         v.  Improve communication between physicians and patients (technology permitting), e,g.remind patients to take medications, to refill medications, and to schedule medical appointments (check-ups, follow-ups).

3.  Who is involved in the NOVA RHIO?

a.  George Mason University’s School of Management and College of Health and Human Services convened a series of open forums to begin the process of establishing a Northern Virginia Regional Health Information Organization (NOVA RHIO). Significant progress has been made as we move toward electronically linked health network for our region—and prepare northern Virginia to link to future state and national networks.

b.  Social service agencies, individual consumers, patient/caregiver advocacy groups

c.  Physicians, hospitals, and other health care providers

d.  Public health departments

e.  Health Plans/Insurers

f.  Employers

g.  IT companies

4.  How will it work?

a.  Privacy/security is the first priority

         i.  Patient controls what patient-identifiable information is included (?)

         ii.  Patient controls who can see patient-identifiable information (?)

b.  Physicians and other health care providers will be able to exchange critical medical/health care information

c.  EHR vs. PHR vs Integrated Model

5.  Can patients add information to the record even if it isn’t strictly medical?

a.  DNR order

b.  Living will

c.  Medical power of attorney

d.  Organ donor status

e.  Caregiver or emergency family contact information

f.  Key contacts (e.g. religious affiliation)

g.  Dietary or other special needs

h.  Behavioral patterns (wandering, hallucinations, etc.)

6.  What will it cost/save?

a.  Patients

b.  Insurers

c.  Employers

d.  Physicians and other health care providers

7.  When will it be available?

8.  How will this be integrated with other parts of the country?

9.  What if a person doesn’t want to participate?

10.  What if some medical practices/providers don’t participate?

11.  What happens to the information (and who owns it) when a patient moves away or dies?

12.  How, if at all, will data be available to researchers?