Next week is National Health IT Week, an event founded by HIMSS and the Institute for e-health Policy in 2006 to recognize the value of health IT. This year’s themes focus on ensuring value in four key areas:
- Value of health IT in innovation.
- Value of health IT in expanding access to care.
- Value of health IT in making communities healthy.
- Value of health IT in the expansion of economic opportunities and job creation.
It’s a welcome opportunity to come together as an industry to focus on the essential role healthcare technology plays in transforming health and healthcare. It’s also a perfect time to recognize that communication technology impacts value in all of the above areas. Just as smartphones have had a huge impact on the way many industries do business, mobile communication is having a significant impact on healthcare. As the industry shifts its focus from volume to value, improved communication will play a role in driving innovation, expanding access to care and improving population health.
In addition to the many activities planned for National Health IT Week, industry leaders are making their voices heard on social media and in blog posts about the benefits of technology in healthcare. Here is just a sampling:
National Health Information Technology Week
Why should you care, and more importantly, what should you do? Succinct, solid advice from HIMSS.
What We Mean When We Say Value
Adam Bazer of HIMSS North America examines the meaning of “value” as it applies to health IT.
Technology’s Vital Role in Healthcare and Society
Nicholas Skinner of Optimum Healthcare IT reflects on the enormous changes in health IT over the last two decades.
Health IT and Design Thinking
Gabriela Mustata Wilson, PhD, of HIMSS Indiana Chapter explains the need to help the collective cause of recognizing the value of health IT.
Many more voices will be added to this important conversation over the coming week, so keep up-to-date by following #NHITWeek on Twitter.
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