NATIONAL HEALTH IT. For the Underserved. The National Health IT Collaborative for the Underserved 1

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1 The National Health IT Collaborative for the Underserved 1 NATIONAL HEALTH IT For the Underserved "A Pu blicpriva te Partnership for a Healthier America7' Introducing the National Health IT Collaborative for the Underserved NHlT was established in 2008 as a public/private/ community partnership committed to assure that, with respect to health information technology (HIT) advances and benefits, no community is left behind. Our vision is to become the premiere, respected, innovative and established nexus of transdisciplinary partners that contributes to the elimination of health disparities and the attainment of optimal health through the effective use of HIT, broadly defined, for our populations of focus. These constitute the underserved, with an emphasis on communities of color, and those who care for them. Areas of Focus NHlT has convened and engaged a network of over 100 Collaborative Partners and subject matter experts addressing these areas of focus as they relate to underserved communities: Education & Outreach Public Policy Workforce Training & Development Finance & Sustainability NHlT Management Committee These agencies and organizations provide leadership and policy direction for NHIT: Association of Clinicians for the Underserved ehealth Initiative Foundation Health Policy Institute, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies HlMSS Foundation's lnstitute for e-health Policy Office of Minority Health, Department of Health and Human services- Summit Health lnstitute for Research and Education, Inc. ~ For more information and to learn how you can join NHIT, contact: I National Health IT Collaborative for the Underserved Program Management Office c/o Summit Health lnstitute for Research and Education, Inc L Street, NW, Suite 11 1 Washington, DC Phone: Fax: Mthomas-brown 8 shireinc.org

2 NATIONAL "A PublidPrivate Partnership fbr a Healthier America" Understanding of the Problem1 Rationale for the Collaborative Over three decades, health care in the United States has transitioned from a care delivery model where a single medical practitioner served as the sole source of care to a care delivery model where large-scale institutions provide and pay for care. The complexity exhibited by our current care delivery model requires a myriad of Federal and state laws and regulations that are difficult to understand and navigate for large payers and providers. Health disparate and underserved populations are further impacted as they rarely have the resources or tools to effectively understand and navigate the mix of federal, state and local entities that are engaged in providing health care for these groups. In addition, significant disparities exist in our healthcare system, with respect to such key areas as insurance coverage, access, quality of treatment and outcomes. These disparities occur most frequently among raciallethnic minorities and other medically underserved communities. Despite efforts to reform health care systems through structure, process and technology interventions, health disparities persist and gaps appear to be widening. Numerous efforts to reform our nation's health care system are being proposed and tested; yet little attention is being devoted to underserved communities. Reform efforts targeted toward disparities need to take advantage of advances in health information technology and best practices developed in states, counties and local communities in order to facilitate wholesale improvements and significantly increased access to care. Such efforts and others yet to be undertaken will help provide the requisite tools and technologies, if accompanied by culturally/linguistically appropriate outreach and educational initiatives; advocacy strategies; workforce development and training ventures; and concrete options for funding and sustainability. Such a comprehensive approach will be required to bring underserved populations into our national HIT framework, thus ensuring that the underserved will not be left behind. This need has never been more pressing. The urgency of addressing the needs of underserved populations cannot be overstated. The fragmented nature of our nation's health system has imposed special burdens on the most vulnerable areas and populations, already disadvantaged by socio-economic, historical and other societal barriers. If current trends in health disparities are not reversed, by 2050 nearly one in two Americans will be persons of color with higher levels of chronic diseases, shorter life spans, less health insurance and generally poorer health. (IOM 2003) (Alliance for Health Reform 2006). NHlT was established as a public/privatelcommunity partnership with the goal of leveraging advances in health information technology (HIT) to expand health care access, improve quality, promote consumer L St. NW, Suite Washington, DC Office: (202) Fax: (202) Toll Free: (877) htto://

3 self-management and reduce and ultimately eliminate health disparities experienced by communities of color and other underserved populations. Committed to ensure that, regarding HIT, "no community is left behind," the Collaborative has sought every available opportunity to describe the role HIT can play in promoting prevention and health equity, serving as a "voice for the voiceless" as critical decisions are made. Working through four groups that focus on these topics, over 100 NHIT volunteers are also assessing current efforts and recommending innovative projects in four areas: education and outreach; program and research; workforce development and training; and finance and sustainability. Our publiclprivate partnerships include the Office of Minority Health, Association for Clinicians for the Underserved, HlMSS Foundation Institute for ehealth Policy, ehealth Initiative Foundation, Summit Health lnstitute for Research and Education, and the Health Policy lnstitute of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. This partnership will expand to include a consortium of Federal agencies and other key private sector and community-based stakeholders to mount a phased three-year initiative. As a long-range goal, participants will work jointly to propose solutions to eliminate health disparities using HIT as a tool; improve the quality of care increase access to care and care-related service; and reduce the cost of care among the underserved. Vision and Purpose The vision of the National Health IT Collaborative for the Underserved (NHIT) is to become the premiere, respected, innovative and established nexus of transdisciplinary partners that contributes to the elimination of health disparities and the attainment of optimal health through the effective use of health information technology (HIT)* for our populations of focus. These constitute the underserved, with an emphasis on communities of color, and those who care for them. NHIT's purpose is to support the full engagement of the populations of focus with respect to HIT planning, adoption and utilization; education and outreach; workforce development and training; finance and sustainability; program development and implementation; and research and evaluation. Goals Goals to achieve this vision and purpose are: 1. Represent the needs of the populations of focus, utilizing HIT as a tool to assure that those populations are addressed and included through existing and proposed programs and research efforts; 2. Establish strategic partnerships involving public, private and community stakeholders to maximize the NHITs impact and influence; 3. Engage consumers from NHIT's populations of focus regarding the benefits of HIT, using culturally and linguistically appropriate strategies; 4. Inform and educate the general public about the benefits of HIT* for NHIT's populations of focus; 5. Leverage NHIT's influence and serve as a widely recognized and highly respected resource regarding HIT for the underserved. w~naw#m~)rn-nnmnrurr~e~sanreo 1313 L St. NW, Suite Washington, DC Office: (202) Fax: (202) Toll Free: (877) htt~:l/

4 NATIONAL HEALTH IT COLLABORATIVE FOR THE UNDERSERVED "A PublicJPrivate Partnership for a Healthier America" Values and Guiding Principles Overall Values Our overall vision is an empowered nation in which all residents enjoy optimal health status and care as a right. In a democratic society, everyone has value and is entitled to the same access to health care and to opportunities to attain optimal health. Health empowerment rests on the premise that every citizen must be engaged and included by way of processes that reach them where they are -from the "grass-roots" to the "tree-tops." Appropriate education/outreach strategies, public policies, workforce development/training efforts; and fmance and sustainability initiatives must be made available as essential tools, along with health information technology, in order to achieve improved health quality, and these tools must benefit all. Guiding Principles: Education and Outreach Focus Key principles include: Proactively engage diverse consumers (racelethnicity, income, gender, etc.) and the providers who serve them Involve in all phases of activity the persons/communities to be informed and reached; Assure culturalflinguistic relevance and appropriateness, reflecting knowledge of community values, history, statistics, trends, etc. Be geared to appropriate literacy and health literacy levels, using a variety of techniques and tools; Adopt holistic approaches, Aim for measurable individual and systems-related changes, not just the dissemination of information; and Reflect a commitment to reciprocity and mutual respect so that education and outreach benefits those furnishing information and those receiving it. - irn~llcrmmffl~mmm~ 1813 L St. NW, Suite 111 I Washington, DC Office: (202) Fax: (202) Toll Free: (877) h"tto:llwww.nhitunderserved.orq

5 Guiding Principles: Public Policy Focus Key principles include: Policy formulation must be guided by a commitment to equity - "doing no harm" and assuring maximum benefits and a level playing field for all, not just the "majority." Engaged stakeholders can build political will which makes enlightened policy-making possible. Effective policy-making must reflect awareness that "one size does not fit all." Policy formulation must be organic and adaptable to changing needs, circumstances, trends, and the availability of technical and financial resources. The "acid test" of effective policies is the manner in which they are implemented or enforced through administrative regulations and rule-making. Guiding Principles: Workforce Development and Training Focus Key principles include: Effective training requires respect for the learner and understanding of herthis actuavpotentia1 barriers to learning. Selection, training and performance evaluation should promote communication, collaboration and the elimination of "silos." The HIT workforce must reflect the diversity of the nation's population. Underserved communities represent a resource to tap with respect to HIT worker recruitment and training. Workforce development and training should promote cross-fertilization and avoid overspecialization. Workforce pipeline development should be accompanied by opportunities for upward mobility within and across organizations. Workforce development and training should be data-driven. Guiding Principles: Finance and Sustainability Focus Key principles include: It is in the nation's interest to ensure the availability of private and public resources on a sustained basis to maximize HIT adoption in underserved communities. There is a "business case" to be made for investing in HIT for underserved communities and the private sector must play a significant role in making that case. Underserved communities will need substantial, long-term financial and technical assistance in order to maximize "returns on investment." Funding decisions should foster collaboration, partnerships and resource-sharing, and should promote the inclusion in HIT planning, implementation and evaluation of organizations that are representative and reflective of communities to be engaged. HIT-related financial resources should promote entrepreneurship and community economic development to the greatest extent possible. wwwmmn-tlyemn#ui(cibrsemed 1313 L St. NW, Suite Washington, DC Office: (202) Fax (202) Toll Free: (877) htt~~/

6 , The National Health IT Collaborative for the Underserved I NATIONAL HEALTH IT COLLABORATIVE or the Underserveu "A Pu blic/pri va te Partnership for a Healthier America" Health information technology (HIT) continues to transform the way we inform and educate our communities, and each other, about the value of prevention, wellness, and treatment for a better quality of health. Innovative software, systems, and mobile applications are being developed and utilized to manage and monitor health activity in patients' homes, on mobile phone and smartphone devices, and in hospitals and clinician offices. With an increased exchange of health information, and an expanding patient population particularly among the underserved, there is greater need for a skilled and trained health IT and health information management workforce (HIM) to support this evolution of healthcare. In the current economy where jobs are scarce, the promise of increased job demands in Health information, informatics, and management are attractive to many students deciding on a field of study. A recent report from the University of California at San Diego State listed HIT as one of the top 10 career trends for college graduates. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), predicts a demand of 50,000 jobs in HIM and HIT to meet the increased workforce need in the wake of health care reform. $144 million dollars in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act Funds have been awarded to institutions of higher education and research to address critical needs for the widespread adoption and meaningful use of health information technology. The Department of Labor and the Department of Health and Human Services have enlisted the talent and resources of some of the nation's leading universities, community colleges, and major research centers to advance the widespread adoption and meaningful use of health information technology (HIT). The National Health IT Collaborative for the Underserved (NHIT) sees the value in building alliances with academic tenters and institutions, Area Health Education Centers (AHECs), RECs, guidance counselors, youth groups, parents, and schools to help develop a Health IT and HIM workforce drawn from communities color and at-risk populations. AHECs emphasize the importance of building and expanding the health careers pipeline. We invite AHECs to work with NHIT Collaborative to expand the Career pipeline to include HIT and HIM careers especially for communities of color and underserved populations. For more information and to learn how you can join NHIT, contact: National Health IT Collaborative for the Underserved Program Management Office c/o Summit Health Institute for Research and Education, Inc. I L Street, NW, Suite Washington. DC Phone: Fax: Mthomas-brown 8 shireinc.org I

7 NHlT was established in June 2008 as a community of publiclprivate partners committed to leveraging advances in health information technology (HIT) to reduce and ultimately eliminate health disparities experienced by underserved populations, with an emphasis on communities of color. NHlT supports the full engagement of HIT in underserved populations, and among those who care for them, thus ensuring that no community will be left behind. Our publiclprivate partnerships include the Office of Minority Health, Association for Clinicians for the Underserved, HlMSS Foundation Institute for ehealth Policy, ehealth Initiative Foundation, Summit Health lnstitute for Research and Education, and the Health Policy Institute Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. Through national leadership, community partnerships, program resources, culturally appropriate and quality curriculums and training, HIT and HIM careers can transform healthcare delivery and empower consumers, particularlv in underserved areas and communities of color. What Is HIM? Health Information Management (HIM) focuses on improving the quality of health care by ensuring that the best information is available to make any health care decision. HIM professionals manage health care data and information resources. The profession encompasses services in planning, collecting, aggregating, analyzing, and disseminating individual patient and aggregate clinical data. It serves the health care industry including: patient care organizations, payers, research and policy agencies, and other health care-related industries.' What is HIT? Health Information Technology (HIT) is the application of information processing involving both computer hardware and software that deals with the storage, retrieval, sharing, and use of health care information, data, and knowledge for communication and decision making." HIT allows comprehensive management of medical information and its secure exchange between health care consumers and providers. Broad use of health IT will: 1 Improve health care quality Prevent medical errors Reduce health care costs Increase administrative efficiencies Decrease papework Expand access to affordable care Interoperable health IT will improve individual patient care. It will also bring many public health benefits including: Early detection of infectious disease outbreaks around the country Improved tracking of chronic disease management Evaluation of health care based on value enabled by the collection of de-identified price and quality information that can be compared."' '~merican Health Information Management Association ( j. 'The Alliance for Health Reform ( "'u.s. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health lnformation Technology (httoy/healthit.hhs.aov).

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