Ensuring Meaningful Use of Your IIS: The Kansas Perspective

Title: Ensuring Meaningful Use of your IIS: The Kansas Perspective Co-authors: Mike McPherson, Sue Bowden, Debra Warren

Background: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) approved Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) IIS staff need to be included in the development of these plans. It is also important to understand the role that Regional Extensions Centers (RECs) play with respect to IIS and that early and ongoing communication take place to identify and communicate your IIS needs. The Kansas Immunization Registry (KSWebIZ) is planning to implement a version of their IIS to accommodate Eligible Providers (EPs) and Eligible Hospitals (EHs). To meet the 2011 Meaningful Use criteria KSWebIZ will provide an HL7 interface to allow EPs and EHs to submit immunization information.

Objectives: Review how an IIS fits into the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act). The role RECs play, why EPs and EHs need to submit immunization information. Demonstrate what role the Kansas IIS played with respect to the development of the Kansas HIE. Describe the importance of why an IIS has to be a stakeholder in the development of the HIE.   Identify IIS needs with respect to an HIE.

Methods: Participated and reviewed Kansas HIE plan. Developed relationship with REC.

Results: Kansas’ HIE plan is still waiting for approval from ONC the Kansas IIS team is still moving forward with plans to implement a “meaningful use” version of their IIS.

Conclusions: Although Kansas’ HIE plan is still waiting for approval from ONC the Kansas IIS team is still moving forward with plans to implement a “meaningful use” version of their IIS. We learned that early and constant communication with RECs and our Medicaid provider has allowed us to plan early and be ready for the oncoming tests.