Examine Interoperability, HIEs and Standards at HIMSS21

The 2021 HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition will present highly vetted education sessions within 17 topic categories, including Health Information Exchange or Interoperability. 

Examine aspects of information exchange, interoperability and standards across technical and administrative strategies to sustain healthcare enterprises of all sizes and enable a positive individual and clinician experience.

Critical to this topic are experiences with connecting individuals and their data with clinicians at the local, regional, state, national and global levels, while also supporting advanced care models, demonstrating value by increasing quality and reducing costs, and implementing services that add value to a clinician’s workflow.

RELATED: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Thought Leadership at HIMSS21
 

HIMSS Interoperability Showcase™

Experience real-time interoperability transactions with real-world scenarios at the HIMSS Interoperability Showcase™, the highest attendee-rated destination on the exhibit floor. Watch demos of standards-based technology with live health data exchange to support continuity of care and improve outcomes.

As connected care stories unfold, witness the impact of competitive systems and products working together to improve clinical outcomes, quality and patient experience. Engage with experts in demos and interactive education theater presentations and make the connections to transform care.

The showcase takes place at Caesars Forum Conference Center, Booth C200.
 

HIMSS Interoperability Showcase™ Education Sessions

Interoperability & HIE Breakfast Panel: 7:30-8:30 a.m. Aug. 11

This panel will discuss the multiple U.S. and globally-based initiatives being piloted and deep dive on the technology being used, the key stakeholders involved, as well as the necessary policy, privacy and ethical considerations. Registration required.
 

HIMSS Interoperability Showcase™ Network Sessions

Interoperability & HIE Community Networking Reception: 5:30-6:30 p.m. Aug. 10

Meet other like-minded health information, technology, and medical professionals for a lively and laid-back opportunity to network and learn from others at this reception hosted by the HIMSS Interoperability & HIE Community. Registration required.

Social Determinants of Health Sip and Learn: 5:30-6:30 p.m. Aug. 11

This exciting new feature in the Interoperability Showcase^TM brings a unique mix of education and networking opportunities with this action-oriented and leadership-driven Sip and Learn. A panel session occurring during this event will feature speakers who can provide a critical perspective on real-world SDOH initiatives across the care delivery ecosystem. Registration required.
 

Health Information Exchange or Interoperability Education Sessions

In-person programming includes highly vetted sessions from industry leaders and specialty, niche programs to meet distinct needs. HIMSS is at the forefront covering cutting edge topics impacting the health IT ecosystem.

Tuesday, August 10

Criminal Justice System Data Sharing in Colorado: Two Years: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Strengthening the medication practices of jail staff is a key priority for Colorado, and recent legislation aimed to positively impact the quality of care provided within Colorado’s jail system. In 2017, the Colorado State General Assembly passed Senate Bill (SB) 17-019 calling for enhanced medication consistency solutions in county and municipal jails and a partnership with health information exchanges (HIEs). The Office of Behavioral Health and state HIEs are collaborating to achieve these efforts by providing jails with access to clinical data.

OIG Enforcement, Oversight and Compliance: 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Through case studies and an overview of HHS-OIG's enforcement priorities, attendees will receive up-to-date information on health IT fraud and abuse compliance issues and recent developments in HHS-OIG's enforcement activity.

Advancing and Measuring Interoperability Together: 11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.

Don’t miss this once-in-a-generation opportunity to add your voice to a conversation about how to establish a national framework for interoperability measurement.

DTX: Utilization of an SMS-Based Electronic Outcome Tool: 12 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

This poster will be displayed in conjunction with the HIMSS21 Career Fair. Electronic-based systems are increasingly being used for this purpose, however the feasibility of implementing and using such systems is not well known. We sought to assess the usability of DTX, an app-less SMS-based electronic tool, for clinical outcome assessment in spinal surgery patients.

HIEs As Essential Public Health Infrastructure for COVID-19: 1:15 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.

In this session, we hear from two large national HIEs on how they created tracking and reporting tools, encounter notification, and data sharing for contact tracing with their regional public health agencies. It is thanks to large investments in interoperability and major efforts on health provider organizations supporting their HIEs that these platforms now exist to help manage current and future public health emergencies.

Importance of Body Part Labeling in Enterprise Imaging: 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

In this enterprise imaging session, the speakers will highlight the importance of a standardized body part ontology to enable imaging consumption, image sharing, greater levels of interoperability and image-based artificial intelligence research.

Experiences With a FHIR Ecosystem Platform's Queryable APIs: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

To close the information gaps that lead to workflow problems in healthcare, the health IT industry needs sophisticated capabilities to query and combine information from multiple target sources. To meet this need, this advanced session—brought forward by a new collaboration between a HIMSS chapter, an interoperability startup and an academic institution—will show how a multisource fast healthcare interoperability resource (FHIR) ecosystem simulation platform can support the creation and sharing of complex, multitarget FHIR queries.

Interoperability & HIE Community Networking Reception: 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Meet other like-minded health information, technology, and medical professionals for a lively and laid-back opportunity to network and learn from others at this reception hosted by the HIMSS Interoperability & HIE Community. Registration Required.

Wednesday, August 11

Interoperability & HIE Breakfast Panel: 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

This panel will discuss the multiple U.S. and globally-based initiatives being piloted and deep dive on the technology being used, the key stakeholders involved, as well as the necessary policy, privacy and ethical considerations. Registration required.

New Technologies for Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Integrity: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

This session will demonstrate an interoperable, traceable prototype system and its components for governance, distributed data storage mechanisms, blockchain, and decentralized applications. Use scenarios will represent product and information flow and cover the route taken by 99% of products, including complexities such as aggregation/de-aggregation of the logistical units.

Improving Healthcare Outcomes by Enhancing Data Quality: 10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

CommonWell Health Alliance (CHA), the veterans’ health information exchange, and CHA members have collaborated to create a new Data Quality Framework in order to evaluate real clinical data to establish improvement activities to incrementally improve the quality and consistency.

Person Matching for Interoperability: A Case Study for Payer: 10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

In collaboration with The Sequoia Project, this presentation will discuss how person matching is foundational to the broader health data exchange environment.

Accelerate Health Welcome Remarks: 11 a.m. - 11:05 a.m.

Accelerate Health Opening Keynote: 11:05 a.m. - 11:25 a.m.

Panel: When is Disruption too much?: 11:25 a.m. - 11:55 a.m.

This session will look at some of the recent disruptions in the industry and how disruption can sometimes be too much. There are times tech forgets to ask caregivers what they need or want from their technology. What do patients ask for? What will make their experience better? Outcomes more positive?

Panel: Designing the Next Phase of Healthcare Together: 12 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Hear from our panel of experts as they discuss what every innovator, healthcare organization, and investor should consider before they design and implement new technology.

Dutch interoperability development: lessons learned: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.

The Dutch Government (Ministry of Health) was asked by the Healthcare market for direction in the topic of Electronic Exchange of Health Information (EEHI). After consultation amongst all parties involved, a strategy was developed to address the main causes that were in the way of EEHI: lack of explicit terminology, lack of explicit technical standards, lack of integral approach and interests and thus not solvable for individual providers and organizations.

Immunization Program Aims to Resolve Interoperability: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.

The presentation will review the IIP program Immunization Testing and Recognition and Collaborative successes to date.

Presentation: The Hospital Tech Stack of Tomorrow: Where VCs and Entrepreneurs are Placing Their Bets in Health IT: 1:30 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.

From remote patient monitoring through the digital front door, to intelligent exam rooms, and an automated back office—startups are bringing automation and advanced analytics across the healthcare value chain. Join us for a deep dive in venture capital investment trends to learn where healthcare entrepreneurs are gaining traction and how VCs are placing their bets.

Panel: Strategic Perspectives - Working with a Startup: 1:55 p.m. - 2:25 p.m.

On this panel, strategic investors from across the healthcare spectrum share the journey of investing in a startup – from determining the qualities of a good investment to working with them as they grow, learn the ups and downs of this unique investor-startup relationship.

Benefits and Barriers to Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs: 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

This presentation will provide an analysis of challenges in the use of a PDMP, a description of promising practices for optimizing the use of the PDMP, insights from key stakeholders, and lessons learned.

Fireside Chat: 2:30 p.m. - 2:55 p.m.

This panel will look at how companies and individuals clear these high bars and how healthcare can advance interoperability, who needs to come to the table, and the discussions that need to happen.

Panel: Advancing Interoperability & Maintaining Privacy: 2:55 p.m. - 3:25 p.m.

This panel will look at how companies and individuals clear these high bars and how healthcare can advance interoperability, who needs to come to the table, and the discussions that need to happen.

Infrastructure and Incentives: Advancing HIE Innovation: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

This session will explore how, without a state mandate, a state can build partnerships to form a foundation for advanced health information exchange (HIE).

Social Determinants of Health Sip and Learn: 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

This exciting new feature in the Interoperability Showcase^TM brings a unique mix of education and networking opportunities with this action-oriented and leadership-driven Sip and Learn. A panel session occurring during this event will feature speakers who can provide a critical perspective on real-world SDOH initiatives across the care delivery ecosystem. Registration Required.

Thursday, August 12

Accelerate Health Welcome Remarks: 9:30 a.m. - 9:32 a.m.

Panel: Unlocking the Potential of Care: Genomics & Personalized Data: 9:32 a.m. - 10:02 a.m.

Generalized prescriptions and blanket diagnoses based on physical examinations could become a thing of the past as healthcare becomes increasingly able to and comfortable with gathering precise patient information to offer targeted medical treatments with pharma and IT playing huge roles.

ONC TEFCA Update From the RCE: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

The speakers will review the current scope and requirements of the TEFCA and the progress made by the RCE in collaboration with ONC, to include the Common Agreement and the Qualified Health Information Network (QHIN).

How to Grow an Innovation Idea: 10:07 a.m. - 10:27 a.m.

In this presentation, we will illustrate how ideas are grown from the minds of students, scientists, caregivers, patients and move from lightbulb moments to training sessions in hospitals and care centers.

TBD: 11:02 a.m. - 11:32 a.m.

Information Blocking One Year Later: Key Challenges: 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Veteran health IT and regulatory lawyers will discuss what we have learned in the first months of implementation of the rule, dispel common misconceptions, and identify practical steps you can take to bring your organization into compliance.

Accelerate Health Closing Keynote: 11:37 a.m. - 11:57 a.m.

Accelerate Health Host Closing Remarks: 11:57 a.m. - 11:59 a.m.

Gravity Project: FHIR APIs to Accelerate SDOH Data Exchange: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.

This session will introduce the recently published HL7 FHIR Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Implementation Guide developed by the Gravity Project--a standards-based public collaborative and HL7 FHIR Accelerator initiated in May 2019 by the Social Interventions Research and Evaluation Network in partnership with EMI Advisors LLC. The presentation will introduce the project’s approach, through active partnership with the American Medical Association, to incorporate consensus-driven coded SDOH data elements into fast healthcare interoperability resources (FHIR) specifications to support critical activities of screening, diagnosis, care planning, and interventions.

Abu Dhabi's Journey to Establish MENA's First HIE, Malaffi: 2:30 p.m. - 3 p.m.

In 2018, The Department of Health-Abu Dhabi (DOH) decided to establish the first health information exchange (HIE) platform in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Malaffi, to have connected healthcare in the Emirate centered around the patient. Drawing from international experience, the Malaffi planning team went through a thorough exercise to finally determine the core components that will guarantee a sustainable and scalable model that will generate long-term value for all stakeholders.
 

Preconference Symposium

The week kicks off Monday, Aug. 9, with topic-focused or audience-specific events before general programming and exhibition opens. Each full-day program is immersive in actionable sessions and networking. Events are optional. Additional registration required.

Explore real-life action plans for meeting the quadruple aim through interoperability at the Interoperability and HIE Symposium. Become better informed with fellow attendees who are committed to transforming health through standards-based interoperability, HIE and emerging technologies.