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NCSL Health Information Technology Champions (HITCh) Policy Partnership

Proposed Products, Timetable And Themes

Products

This eighteen-month project will develop a core of legislative expertise related to state HIT policy across states and at NCSL and create a base for continuing policy analyses in this rapidly evolving area.   Topics and activities may be added at the Partnership’s direction if additional resources become available.  NCSL staff is directed to explore additional funding opportunities.

• A scoping meeting at the August 2006 Annual meeting in Nashville.
• Four working sessions over 18 months with HITCh legislators and FSL partners, in  conjunction with NCSL events (Spring and Fall Forums and Annual Meeting).  
  • Identify key HIT problems that states must address and select three for further development. 
  • Discuss issues, options and alternatives 
  • Track ongoing state and national policy developments and identify areas where further policy development by states, federal government or the private sector are needed.
• Four information sessions  (panels at meetings, committee sessions, audioconferences) to present information on different aspects of HIT and state policy to a wider NCSL and public audience.   Sessions will be taped and slides and supporting materials will be archived for viewing by a larger audience. 
  Topics (see expanded tropics list at end) will be finalized by the HITCh Partners group but will include topics such as 
  • Privacy and data security
  • State role in financing the health information infrastructure/health information exchange
  • Improving safety and quality through electronic records (EHR, CPOE)
• Policy options paper outlining opportunities and needs for state policymaking in the selected areas.    
• HITCh web site, with brief summaries of major issues and options defined by the group, the options paper, legislative tracking in three HIT policy areas, and links to related resources, especially state-level projects and promising practices.  Web site will be posted at month 6 and updated at least quarterly.
• HITCh blog and/or e-mail bulletins (can be part of the web site) will share state developments
• NCSL will identify and collaborate with other state and national organizations interested in HIT through this project.
• Staff will respond to information requests from state legislatures in this area.
• The project will help partners and others identify legislative leaders in HIT for panels, presentations and advisory bodies.
• One article will be prepared for State Legislatures magazine.  In addition, at least two shorter articles on this issue will be written and published in State Health Notes, NCSL’s flagship health policy publication.

Schedule of Meetings and Timetable for Deliverables

August 2006 – December 2007

2006

• August.  HITCh Kick-off, Nashville Annual Meeting
  • HITCh partners session:  Introductions and set agenda
  • Session at annual meeting.  Can Information Technology Save Our Health Care System?
• December. HITCh partners session at Fall Forum, San Antonio
  • Discussion of topics

2007  Web site developed, legislative tracking in HIT areas

• February.  HITCh at HIMSS  Piggy-back meeting-in-meeting, New Orleans
• April.  HITCh partners meet at Spring Forum, Washington, DC. 
  • Draft policy option paper
• June.  HITCh panel -  presentation and webcast in conjunction with HIT summits or panel at Health Chairs meeting, Washington, DC.
• August.  HITCh partners meet at Annual Meeting, Boston, MA
  • Policy option paper finalized and posted to web site
• October.  HITCh panel - presentation of project results and Audioconference / webcast, 2007
• December.  HITCH partners final meeting at Fall Forum, Phoenix, AZ
  • Next steps
  • Addendum to policy option paper describes changes and future directions.

Topics

Topics will be finalized by the HITCh Partners group but will include topics such as: 

• Privacy and data security, HIPAA
• State role in financing the health information infrastructure/health information exchange.   Mix of payers that matches responsibilities and is sustainable.
• Use of HIT in Medicaid (this cuts across several of these items)
• Improving safety and quality and reduce errors through electronic records (EHR, EMR, CPOE.)   Includes e-prescribing and labs.
• Preparing current and future workforce to use HIT/eHealth
• Tools for consumers including transparency on prices and performance
• Use of HIT to promote standards of care, P4P, disease management and information on best medical practices
• Telehealth and telemedicine; use of HIT to reduce geographical and other disparities, increase LTC options.

 HITCh Main Page