Health Information Exchange Community Oversight Board
In January 2011, Washington State began implementing a secure, shared health information technology infrastructure to advance Health Information Exchange (HIE). Secure HIE will help providers improve clinical care and services. It may also prevent duplicate procedures and eliminate prescription mistakes. The State HIE program is funded by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). (Visit www.HealthIT.wa.gov for more information, resources and links that will help guide you through the landscape of health information technology (Health IT) in Washington State.)
OneHealthPort (OHP), in coordination with the Washington State Health Care Authority, will lead HIE implementation activities. OHP is a private sector health information technology management organization, created in 2002 by local health care organizations to streamline and accelerate the exchange of business and clinical information.
In response to feedback from stakeholder webinars hosted by OHP, a governance model that included HIE Community Oversight was recommended. The Foundation for Health Care Quality (FHCQ) was selected as the Community Oversight Organization.
Washington State HIE Governance Model
Role of Community Oversight Organization
The Oversight Board will review and act on specific elements of the Lead Organization’s work. The role of the oversight organization is to help ensure the private lead organization is operating in the public interest. Specifically, the Oversight Board will review and act on the following:
- The pricing model developed by the Lead Organization for HIE shared services
- The privacy and security policies for the HIE
- Accessibility of the HIE
Board
FHCQ empanelled an operating Board to oversee the work of the Lead Organization. The Board is composed of seven (7) independent members (i.e. individuals who are not employees of HCA, the Lead Organization or any of its shareholders, or of FHCQ or any entity affiliated with or sponsored by it), and includes at least one (1) public sector representative, (1) consumer representative, and four (4) Health Information Exchange (HIE) user representatives (i.e. employees or members of organizations who are or who likely will be actively engaged in the use or provision of HIE).
Board Members
Representing HIE Consumers: (one position)
Rudy Vasquez
Multicultural Services Director
Sea Mar Community Health Centers
Position #1 expires: September 2014; eligible for one more 3-year term upon expiration of this term.
Representing HIE Users: (four positions)
Margaret J. Lane
mLane and Company
Position #2 expires: September 2014; eligible for one more 3-year term upon expiration of this term.
*Gretchen Murphy, M.Ed., RHIA, FAHIMA *Chair
Dir, Health Informatics & Health Information Mgt Prog.
School of Public Health, University of Washington
Position #3 expires: November 2012. Appointed for an initial 2-year term; eligible for two additional 3-year terms upon expiration of initial term.
Dave Roach, BSEE, CPHIMS, CCE
VP, Information Systems / CIO
Kadlec Health System
Position #4 expires: November 2012. Appointed for an initial 2-year term; eligible for two additional 3-year terms upon expiration of initial term.
Michael J. Tronolone, MD, MMM
Medical Director
The Polyclinic
Position #5 expires: November 2013.
Marc Pierson, MD
Regional VP, Clinical Information & Special Projects
PeaceHealth
Position #6 expires: November 2013.
Representing the Public Sector (one position):
Bryant Thomas Karras MD
Public Health Informatics Officer, Sr. Epi,
State of Washington, DOH, Public Health Lab
Position #7 expires: November 2013.
Meetings and Materials
It is expected that the Oversight Board will meet approximately four (4) times per year. So far, the Board has met on November 9, 2010, February 4, 2011, May 13, 2011 and September 30, 2011, October 18, 2011 (conference call), November 4, 2011 (conference call) and February 3, 2012. Board materials including meeting notices, agendas, and resources are available to the public, and will be posted when possible on OneHealthPort’s website.
The next Oversight Board meeting is scheduled for Friday,May 4, 2012 from 10:00 AM –12: Noon.
Individuals Wishing to Attend the Community HIE Oversight Board Meetings
Board meetings are held at the Foundation for Health Care Quality located at 705 Second Avenue South, Seattle (corner of 2nd and Cherry).
Visitors are invited to attend board meetings. Visitors have the opportunity to interact with board discussions at set times during the agenda. Prior to the Board meeting, visitors are requested to submit name and affiliation to Linda Lekness at llekness@qualityhealth.org. Visitors are requested to submit questions prior to the meeting.
Contact Information
Board Chair: Gretchen Murphy, M.Ed., RHIA, FAHIMA, Director, Health Informatics and Health Information Management Program, University of Washington; phone: (206) 543-8810; e-mail: gcmurphy@u.washington.edu
Staff: Linda Lekness; phone: (206) 682-2811 x26; e-mail: llekness@qualityhealth.org
