PRESS RELEASE

October 14, 2005
Contact: Jason Sanford
(614) 224-4950, ext 302

Electronic Health Information Technology in Ohio assessed on October 17, 18 in Columbus

Columbus, OH – Difficulty with locating paper health records after Hurricane Katrina has made clear the need for all Americans to have a secure, private medical record that can follow them wherever they go.

The Health Policy Institute of Ohio (HPIO) and the eHealth Initiative (eHI) help bring this issue to light on October 17 and 18, hosting events in Columbus featuring leading national authorities and research on health information technology.

HPIO and eHI jointly host the 2005 Ohio Health Information Symposium held at Quest Business Centers at Polaris on October 17, 2005.  A highlight of the Symposium is the release of the 2005 Ohio Health Information Briefing Paper, jointly published by the HPIO and eHI. An advance copy of the paper is available here: http://www.healthpolicyohio.org/pdf/OhioHealthInfo2005.pdf.

"The paper is an in-depth look at the status and challenges of electronic health information technology efforts in Ohio ," said Philip Powers, director of health informatics for the Health Policy Institute of Ohio. "Our discussions during the breakout sessions will focus on how Ohio can move individual efforts toward a statewide strategic vision for HIT adoption."

The discussion continues on Oct. 18 with a Forum hosted by eHI, looking at the same issue in a regional, mid western context.  The Forum is designed to engage health care and public policy leaders involved in the improvement of health care through the development and implementation of electronic health information exchange.

“Regional meetings such as these allow physicians, hospitals, employers and health plans to discuss local issues and share innovative solutions to these challenges. By sharing knowledge with the community, we are seeing health information exchange efforts move from talk to action,” said Janet Marchibroda, CEO of the eHealth Initiative. 

Highlighted speakers at the Forum include U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio and Sam Dunn, PE, PhD, chief information officer and executive director for Kentucky ’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services.  The Regional Forum will be held at the Athletic Club of Columbus.

Health Information Technology is a nation wide effort to promote the use of technology to improve medical care, reduce costs and provide a more patient-centric focus to better health for all Americans.  Its goal is to unite health providers, payers, and patients in a common way to ensure that everyone gets the right care at the right time.

The Health Policy Institute of Ohio is an independent, nonpartisan organization that will forecast health trends, analyze key health issues, and communicate current research to Ohio policymakers, state agencies, and other decision makers. HPIO will also convene discussions on important health issues for Ohio by bringing together representatives from various sectors with a keen interest in health matters, including policy makers, providers, employers, advocates, health plans, consumers, state agencies, and researchers. More information is available at http://www.healthpolicyohio.org.

The eHealth Initiative and its Foundation are independent, non-profit organizations that bring together numerous and diverse stakeholders to achieve a shared mission- to improve the quality, safety and efficiency of healthcare through information and information technology.