Industry experts gather to discuss Health Information Technology

September 29, 2015

jill.dygert

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Capital Soup
AHCA Communications

Conversation focuses on best practices and services offered
through the Florida Health Information Exchange
St. Petersburg, Fla. – Today, more than 100 hospital executives, healthcare providers, and industry experts gathered to discuss the opportunities and challenges of the growing industry of health information technology, or Health IT.  Hosted by the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), topics discussed at the half-day symposium included current Health IT initiatives, the importance of privacy and security measures, and practical applications for information technology in the modern health care system.

Molly McKinstry, AHCA Deputy Secretary for Health Quality Assurance, said, “This forum provided a great opportunity to raise awareness for current Health IT trends and also offered a glimpse into its exciting future.  Collaborative efforts like this have allowed Florida to create and sustain an advanced healthcare delivery system that positions our state as a national leader in the area of health information technology.”

Kendra Siler-Marsiglio, PhD, President of CommunityHealth IT, said, “I’m honored to live and work in a state that has constantly supported the use of emerging technologies to improve the health and well-being of its residents.  I value the opportunity to join leaders in the local and national health care community to exchange ideas about improving outcomes for both providers and patients.”

Deputy Secretary McKinstry’s opening remarks focused on AHCA resources that use technology to support its mission of “Better Health Care for All Floridians” –FloridaHealthFinder.gov, Electronic Health Record Medicaid Incentive Program, and the Florida Health Information Exchange.  Together, these tools empower millions of Floridians to make more informed health care decisions, exchange information at the point of care, and better serve patients receiving their treatment in a managed care environment.

Members of three discussion panels included consultants, hospital executives, health plan representatives, healthcare providers, and agency staff members who were able to draw from decades of consolidated experience developing and implementing Health IT programs.

State of the State: Health Information Technology

Panelists discussed the various Health IT initiatives that are setting Florida apart in this field, including electronic health records and the Florida Health Information Exchange (Florida HIE), which is steadily adding new users to its impressive network.

Health IT: Security Savvy

This panel focused on the special considerations that must be made for privacy and the security of information flowing through Health IT systems.

Health IT:  Practical Applications

The Practical Applications panel discussed the benefits and challenges of integrating technology into various types of health care settings.  Recommendations were made on mitigating the difficulties of implementing new technologies while maximizing the benefits for providers and patients.

If you would like to receive notification of future Health IT events hosted by the Agency, please visit https://www.florida-hie.net/contactus.html and subscribe to our mailing list.

The Agency for Health Care Administration is committed to its mission of providing “Better Health Care for All Floridians.” The Agency administers Florida’s Medicaid program, licenses and regulates more than 45,000 health care facilities and 37 health maintenance organizations, and publishes health care data and statistics at www.FloridaHealthFinder.gov.  Additional information about Agency initiatives is available via Facebook (AHCAFlorida), Twitter (@AHCA_FL) and YouTube(/AHCAFlorida).

Contact: 
AHCA Communications 
AHCACommunications@ahca.myflorida.com 
(850) 412-3623

Read this article online http://capitalsoup.com/2015/09/29/industry-experts-gather-to-discuss-health-information-technology-2/.

 

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