Dartmouth Atlas

The ONC Funding Opportunities Announcement uses the Dartmouth Atlas map below to define a hospital referral region for the purposes of Beacon Communities. I have been fascinated playing around with the map and comparing various areas of the country.

For more than 20 years, the Dartmouth Atlas Project has documented glaring variations in how medical resources are distributed and used in the United States. The project uses Medicare data to provide comprehensive information and analysis about national, regional, and local markets, as well as individual hospitals and their affiliated physicians.

These reports and the research upon which they are based have helped policymakers, the media, health care analysts and others improve their understanding of the efficiency and effectiveness of our health care system. This valuable data forms the foundation for many of the ongoing efforts to improve health and health systems across America.




via dartmouthatlas.org

Healthcare and Government 2.0 with Aneesh Chopra and Tim O'Reilly

Tim O'Reilly snagged a great interview with Aneesh Chopra at the Gov 2.0 Expo. They started off with a strong focus on the intersection of healthcare and gov 2.0 principles. Aneesh gives an overview of the incentive program for meaningful use of EHRs, reveals an interesting perspective of the genesis of the NHIN Direct project, and also talks about the criteria that patients are entitled to an electronic copy of their medical record. From a policy standpoint he wants to create the conditions for data liquidity and provide a platform for innovation.

New HIT Standards Committee Enrollment Workgroup

Aneesh Chopra, Chief Technology Officer for the Federal Government, and Sam Karp, Vice President of Programs for the California Healthcare Foundation, have been named co-chairs of a new Enrolllment Workgroup of the Health IT Policy & Standards Committees. At the April 26, 2010 Health IT Standards Committee they will make an inaugural presentation outlining their new workgroup. Prompted by Section 1561 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's requirement that the HIT Policy and Standards Committees "develop interoperable and secure standards and protocols that facilitate enrollment of individuals in Federal and State health and human services programs," the workgroup will work to ensure that uninsured individuals who are eligible for other government benefits are able to obtain insurance through the new exchanges.

These are the slides for presentation to the HIT Standards Committee:

Federal Career Intern Program

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Federal Career Intern Program

GIVE PUBLIC SERVICE A TRY, AND SEE HOW IT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

Do you want to become a part of a team that supports top-notch scientists and administrative program personnel who make a real difference in improving the lives of individuals on a global scale? Or are you perhaps interested in performing administrative and management support functions for key senior career and politically appointed executives in a vibrant headquarters environment? 


Does the idea of being exposed to a broad range of organizational experiences, mentoring opportunities and skill-building activities appeal to you? Do you want the challenge of using your critical thinking, analytical and communication skills to solve unstructured problems?
If so, please consider an amazing opportunity to support the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology, within the Office of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  The Office is the principal Federal entity charged with the development of a nationwide interoperable health information technology infrastructure to ensure that public and private sector programs and initiatives related to the exchange of health information are complimentary efforts executed in a coordinated manner.


ONC is headed by a National Coordinator who serves as the Secretary’s principal advisor on the development, application, and use of health information technology; coordination of HHS health information technology policies and programs internally and with other relevant executive branch agencies; direction and development of a strategic plan to guide the nationwide implementation of interoperable health information technology in both the public and private health care sectors to the extent permitted by law; and provision of comments and advice at the request of OMB regarding specific Federal health information technology programs.  Opportunities are available for motivated individuals interested in working on new programs, policy initiatives, program reviews, and operational initiatives.


We are looking for dynamic individuals who want to grow personally and professionally, full-time, as part of a cohort in a developmental program that includes rotational work assignments, structured training and other activities in the areas of overall management and administration.    All applicants must have strong writing and public speaking skills as well as intermediate experience using the Microsoft Office suite of programs.  We’re also looking for candidates with project management, program analysis, quantitative research, and/or policy analysis skills.  In addition, experienced information technology project managers are encouraged to apply. 

FEDERAL CAREER INTERN PROGRAM

Position Title:                                   Management Analyst (Multiple Positions will be filled)
Open Period:                                    May 21, 2010 – June 4, 2010
Series/Grade:                                   GS-0343-09 (Promotion Potential to GS-12)
Salary:                                             $51,630 - $67,114 (with promotion potential to $97,333)
Duty Location(s):                              Washington, D.C.

The Federal Career Intern Program (FCIP) is a two-year entry-level, full-time employment and career development training program in the public service. As a Federal Career Intern, you will participate in developmental assignments designed to train you for the full performance level or promotion potential of the position. You will be responsible for a wide variety of sensitive and complex duties involving analytical, coordinative, advisory and consultative services. To be eligible for FCIP, you must be a U.S. citizen.

Salary Level GS-09:  Master's or equivalent graduate degree; or two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent degree; or a combination of qualifying education and experience; or one year of specialized experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal government.

Benefits

Selected candidates will be eligible for the following benefits: Transhare; flexible work schedule; health benefits; life insurance; and Thrift Savings Plan. Upon successful completion of either program, FCIP participants may non-competitively receive permanent, full-time positions at HHS. To view more federal benefits please visit http://www.opm.gov/insure/new_employ/index.asp

Veterans' Preference

You may be eligible for veterans’ preference if you meet certain criteria (please see http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/ei3.asp#top). All applicants claiming preference must provide their DD-214.  In addition, applicants claiming 10-point preference must complete form SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference & provide a copy of your VA Disability letter issued after 1991 or later which documents a service-related disability. The SF-15 is available online at: http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf . Failure to provide the required verification of Veteran’s eligibility will affect your claim for Veteran’s preference.
Note:  Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

How to Apply

The open period for this program is May 21, 2010 to June 4, 2010.  
Please e-mail your cover letter, resume and transcript (if applicable) to joyce.rawlings@hhs.gov. Please also direct any questions you may have to this mailbox.

IMPORTANT

You must provide a copy of your resume, cover letter and transcript (if applicable) by email / fax by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 4, 2010, to receive consideration for this opportunity. You may fax or scan documentation (i.e., veteran’s documentation and/or transcripts). To fax, please send to Attn: Joyce Rawlings, FCIP, at 202-401-2901.  She may also be reached by phone at 202-260-0418.

via healthit.hhs.gov

NHIN University

Through its cooperative agreement NeHC supports ONC's efforts to disseminate information about the NHIN to interested parties and the broader stakeholder community. Part of these efforts are through the NHIN University. These have been some very useful free webinars on various topics. Today's class was "NHIN 104: The Trust Fabric of the NHIN: Making Exchange a Good Choice" and was one of the best explanations of the trust fabric I have seen.

The Presentation Slides are HERE, and the archive is HERE and the transcript will be available tomorrow.

I highly encourage everyone to view this material.

The previous classes are available below:

NHIN 101 - An Introduction to the Nationwide Health Information Network February 22, 2010, 3:00 pm ET Speakers: Douglas Fridsma, MD, PhD - Acting Director, Office of Standards and Interoperability, ONC Mariann Yeager - NHIN Policy & Governance Lead (Contractor), ONC Recorded Webinar Presentation Slides Transcript Stakeholder Questions

NHIN 102 - Secure and Meaningful Exchange of Health Information over the Internet March 16, 2010, 2:00 pm ET Faculty: Professor Douglas Fridsma, MD, PhD - Acting Director, Office of Standards and Interoperability, ONC Course Objectives Recorded Webinar Presentation Slides Transcript Stakeholder Questions

NHIN 103 - ONC Initiatives for Health Information Exchange and their Continuing Evolution (NEW TITLE!) April 19, 2010, 1:00 - 2:30 pm ET Faculty: Douglas Fridsma, MD, PhD - Acting Director, Office of Standards and Interoperability, ONC Rich Kernan - NHIN Specification Factory Lead (Contractor), ONC David Riley, BS, PAC - CONNECT Initiative Lead (Contractor), Federal Health Architecture, ONC Course Objectives Recorded Webinar Presentation Slides Transcript Stakeholder Questions and Answers

A National Strategy for eCare

Eric Dishman director of Health Innovation and Policy for Intel’s Digital Health Group, which he helped launch in 1999. He founded the Product Research and Innovation team responsible for driving Intel’s worldwide healthcare research, new product innovation, strategic planning, and health policy and standards activities. Eric is widely recognized as a global leader in driving healthcare reform through home and community-based technologies and services, with special focus on enabling independent living for seniors.

On April 27, 2004 Eric testified before the Senate Special Subcommittee on Aging and now six years later on April 22, 2010 he returned to give testimony again to the committee hearing "Aging in Place: The National Broadband Plan and Bringing Health Care Technology Home." While in Washington, D.C. on April 20, 2010 he also testified before the Meaningful Use workgroup of the HIT Policy Committee.

I had the opportunity to hear some of his thoughts and insights. He shared some of what he sees as the current landscape in health IT, how he feels the ONC is doing so far, and where the future of healthcare is heading. His focus is generally on home care and aging in his work with the Continua Health Alliance and Intel's new Health Guide medical device.

Below is the audio from our conversation:

Download

Healthcare Journalism Meets Web 2.0

With traditional print and broadcast journalism in serious trouble (as reported this month by James Fallows in The Atlantic magazine) one start-up is trying to embrace Web 2.0 as the future. As the data in the presentation by the Google's chief economist, Hal Varian shows, the Internet is swallowing both newspapers and broadcast networks. Since healthcare is one of my passions, I was very intrigued by the efforts to move beyond traditional methods in healthcare journalism.

Medical Doctor Internet Television (MDiTV) is a health sciences media network founded by Robert Lazzara, M.D. MDiTV's studio is located in Portland, Oregon, where Bobby and his wife are raising their children. He told me that his wife is originally from Portland and they love living there. Bobby is a cardiothoracic surgeon who is listed in the Millennium Edition of the Guinness Book of World Records under "Most Sophisticated Surgical Application" for use of robotic technology in surgery. In 1998 he founded The Virtual Operating Room, LLC in Seattle, Washington. His newest venture has now broadcast live heart surgery available for your iPhone or desktop.



In an April 29, 2010 article, Medical Marketing and Media magazine wrote "MDiTV launched an online network featuring daily medical news videos hosted by ex-CNN anchors Andrew Holtz and Cathy Marshall. Produced internally, the three- and four-minute news programs look like TV news segments, and cover medical news topics du jour. The network will ... present long-format programming, such as the Charlie Rose-inspired "Second Opinion" program, hosted by MDiTV founder and CEO Robert Lazzara, a cardiac surgeon. "Natural Forces," a weekly health program hosted by Kelly Godell, will cover nutrition, food and healthy eating." The article also mentioned MDiTV's intentions to broadcast live surgeries and cover major medical conferences.

Andrew Holtz, MPH, is the anchor for MDiTV and brings a wealth of experience to this post. He is a former CNN Medical Correspondent, and served as President of the Board of Directors of the Association of Health Care Journalists from 2000 to 2004. He is the author of The Medical Science of House, M.D. published in 2006 and his new book, The Real Grey's Anatomy. Andrew likens the founding of MDiTV as akin to when CNN started back in 1980. He told me that back when he started with CNN at it's founding the thing that made CNN possible was the availability of satellite. "Ted gathered together a bunch of smart young kids to find ways to use the newest technology to change broadcasting into a new environment. That is what we are doing now." Thirty years later MDiTV is using the latest web enabled technologies to change healthcare journalism. He said that like the beginning of CNN their crew is "flexible, mobile and young."

When I spoke to Bobby and Andrew they explained that they wanted to move beyond simply broadcasting and incorporate social media, using their Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts, but also make more interactive features available on their site. They want to use their site to educate and empower healthcare consumers. Apps for the iPhone and Android are currently under development. This is a pretty exciting undertaking and I look forward to touring their studios in the next couple weeks and seeing them in action.

Transparency and Health IT

Chris Dorobek interviewed me for Federal News Radio on transparency and health IT. This is where two of my great passions - health IT and government 2.0 - collide! We followed up on my Radar post Open government examples from the ONC and talked about how transparency and open government leads to increased trust and collaboration.

The audio of the interview is here:



I misspoke during the interview, so I added a clarifying comment here:

http://www.federalnewsradio.com/public/comment/group/cms/1952193?nid=19

Team outlines 21st century roadmap to make America the healthiest nation in the world

A Commission of national health care experts convened by the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress (CSPC) has unveiled a roadmap and integrated approach that will put "health" back into our nation's health care system as well as address key opportunities following passage of health care reform legislation.

Some components relating to health information technology include:

Health IT’s potential, as opposed to EHRs’ alone, does not center solely on making patients’ records more accessible, but rather on improving the information available for medical decision making, collecting performance data, and ensuring that avoidable medical errors will be more difficult to occur. The comprehensive health reform package passed by Congress and signed by the President sets the stage for progress in these areas by envisioning a national strategy for overall quality improvement that is enhanced by the use of health IT and EHRs. Specifically, the law will:

1. enact national standards for electronic data submission and collection, as well as for reporting mechanisms, to increase transparency and reduce fraud;
2. develop a standardized set of rules for electronic funds transfers, health care payments, and health plan information to simplify health insurance administration with the use of IT; and
3. develop new state-based health information/data exchange networks with enhanced interoperability and security.

Data from EHRs should also be more directly incorporated into comparative effective research collection, thereby ensuring that the two systems synergistically build upon each other’s progress while ensuring patient privacy protections. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act lays the foundation for such a system in calling for the development of an interoperable data network to collect and analyze health data on outcomes and effectiveness from multiple sources, including electronic health records. Ideally, a joint EHR-CER system would be applied on a nationwide level, with all hospitals, providers and patients able to access their records in a seamless electronic framework, while addressing cybersecurity and privacy concerns.

The report can be downloaded here: A 21st Century Roadmap for Advancing America's Health: The Path from Peril to Progress (May 2010)

The Commission on U.S. Federal Leadership in Health and Medicine: Charting Future Directions is releasing its second report, A 21st Century Roadmap for Advancing America's Health: The Path from Peril to Progress, emphasizing a comprehensive spectrum of actions to build a 21st century system that will make America the healthiest nation in the world. Already, the CSPC Health Commission's proposals have helped shape new Federal initiatives and are reflected in recent health reform legislation.

Commission Co-Chairs, Rear Admiral Susan Blumenthal, MD (ret.), and Denis Cortese, MD, say that, despite passage of historic health care reform legislation, no one has fully focused on the next steps necessary to ensure that all Americans gain maximum value out of our current health care system, nor have all of the key elements necessary to improve the health of the nation been addressed. The United States spends over 17 percent of GDP on health care—nearly twice as much as any other nation—but ranks only 49th on life expectancy, and Americans get the right treatment only 55 percent of the time.

"Health care delivery in the U.S. remains in crisis," said Cortese, Emeritus President and CEO, Mayo Clinic and Director, Healthcare Delivery and Policy Program, Arizona State University. "Americans are paying far too much on health care delivery, especially when compared to the outcomes, safety, service and access we obtain in return. Simply put, low value health care in the U.S. is the result of the lack of a national and rational system for delivery of reliable high quality care. In order to enable the evolution of such a system we need to find ways to consistently pay for value."

"We must redesign the U.S. health care system to make it more efficient, effective and equitable for all Americans," said Blumenthal, Director, Health and Medicine Program, Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress and Former Assistant Surgeon General of the United States. "We need to perform C.P.R to revitalize it, with "C" for expanding coverage to all Americans, "P" for emphasizing prevention, and "R" for investing in research. This will require mobilizing every sector of American society as well as weaving health into the fabric of all Federal agencies to build a modern, 21st century U.S. health care system following passage of the reform legislation."

The report proposes a prescription of actions to modernize the U.S. health care system, moving it from peril to progress, by focusing on four key areas:

• Re-engineering America's health care system
• Advancing public health and prevention in the United States
• Promoting global health and health diplomacy
• Strengthening U.S. medical and public health research

"To really improve health and health delivery in the U.S., we must make value be the cornerstone of a re-engineered system to improve quality, minimize waste and lower costs," said Cortese. He also underscored that the keys to accomplishing this transformation include the adoption of new value-based payment methods, promoting team-based medicine, strengthening primary care, and conducting comparative effectiveness and health systems research.

"We need to shift the current incentives for medical payments towards paying for value, which means paying for results," underscored Cortese.

Another key component of transformation is building a health information technology infrastructure.

"Just as President Eisenhower built a Federal Interstate Highway System to connect communities, boost the economy and protect national security, so must we construct a health information superhighway system in the 21st century. Why is it that all Americans can have 24-hour access to their bank accounts from anywhere in the world yet there is no information technology system in place for electronic health records to improve quality, effectiveness and medical decision making?" asks Blumenthal. She points to a key historic investment of $19 billion in the recent ARRA legislation (the "stimulus package"), compared to $111 million in the previous fiscal year.

Another Commission recommendation facilitated by health IT includes the establishment of a Federal Aviation Administration analogous center in an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to report, monitor and reduce the more than 1.6 million injuries and 100,000 deaths that occur annually due to medical errors.

Public health and prevention are also essential elements of health care reform, with more than 75 percent of health care costs in the U.S. resulting from chronic diseases that are linked to preventable factors, yet only 3 to 5 percent of the nation's health budget is spent on prevention.

"We have an epidemic of chronic disease in America with more than a million Americans who die prematurely every year due to health damaging behaviors including smoking, poor nutrition and lack of physical activity. Obesity rates have tripled in the past 25 years, threatening our nation's future," said Blumenthal. "If we continue on this path, the economic costs are unsustainable and for the first time in our nation's history, this generation of children may not be as healthy or live as long as their parents."

The report endorses the establishment of a Federal Prevention and Wellness Fund in the health care bill (recommended in the Commission's first report) to support innovative community health programs. It also proposes launching national health education campaigns to promote healthy lifestyles, creating an interactive online health hub for best practices and health information, extending the Congressional Budget Office timeframe to 20 years for scoring cost savings of prevention, and establishing mechanisms to coordinate Federal programs to ensure that public health and prevention are cornerstones in the implementation of health care reform legislation.

The Commission recommends that the President issue a "Call to Action for a Healthier U.S." and an annual State of the Nation's Health address, with a yearly report describing the health status of the nation including progress on implementation of health reform.

In an interconnected world, America's health is inextricably linked to global health, with humanitarian, economic and national security implications. The spread of infectious diseases such as AIDS and pandemic flu, the safety of food and the water supply, and the spread of tobacco use and obesity do not respect national borders. Yet, federal investments in global health account for less than one percent of the U.S. budget. The Commission recommends creating a 21st century U.S. Strategy for Global Development and Health Assistance, developing a Federal interagency collaborative framework, harnessing health diplomacy as a tool of "smart power" and working multilaterally with international institutions to advance science, medicine and public health in the developing world.

Lastly, investing in U.S. funding for biomedical and public health research, and the training of new scientists in health and medicine, are essential to strengthening and securing America's future. Investing in research is the foundation for all health and medical interventions, serves as a cornerstone of health care reform efforts, and is an engine of job creation as well economic and societal progress. Yet, in recent years, funding for research has been declining. Furthermore, America has seen a steady erosion in its homegrown scientific talent base. As of 2003, only 12 percent of all college graduates held jobs in the fields of science and engineering. The Commission underscores the urgent need for sustained, predictable funding streams for research, science education beginning in elementary school, and a range of incentives and mechanisms to attract young people to research careers.

By building on these four pillars, the United States can move on a path from peril to progress, creating a modern 21st century health system. "We stand at a turning point in America's health," notes Blumenthal. "Now is the time to work together to move our nation toward a healthier and more prosperous future."

###

About the CSPC Commission on U.S. Federal Leadership in Health and Medicine: Charting Future Directions:

The Commission's objective is to serve as a resource outside of the Federal government to the Administration, Congress and the American public for strengthening our nation's health system. Comprised of health experts from the public and private sectors, including health policy, academia, research, and media, the Commission is committed to non-partisan analysis of the key health challenges and opportunities of our time. (www.thepresidency.org)

Beacon Awards Announced

The following were awarded Beacon funding:

Community Services Council of Tulsa, Tulsa, Okla. - $12,043,948

Leverage broad community partnerships with hospitals, providers, payers, and government agencies  to expand a community-wide care coordination system, which will increase appropriate referrals for cancer screenings, decrease unnecessary specialist visits and (with telemedicine) increase access to care for patients with diabetes.

Delta Health Alliance, Inc., Stoneville, Miss. - $14,666,156

Focus on achieving improvements for diabetic patients by electronically linking isolated systems and practices for care management, medication therapy management and patient education.

Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems, Brewer Maine - $12,749,740. 

Expand community connectivity, including long-term care, primary care and specialist providers, to existing Health Information Exchange and promote the use of telemedicine and patient self-management in order to improve care for elderly patients and individuals needing long-term or home care.

Geisinger Clinic, Danville, Pa. - $16,069,110

Enhance care for patients with pulmonary disease and congestive heart failure by creating a community-wide medical home, promoting Health Information Exchange and extending Geisinger’s proven model for practice redesign  to independent healthcare organizations throughout region.

HealthInsight, Salt Lake City, Utah - $15,790,181

Improve Diabetes management performance measures by increasing availability, accuracy and transparency of quality reporting, leverage Intermountain Healthcare’s strategies to reduce health systems costs throughout the region, and improve public health reporting.

Indiana Health Information Exchange, INC., Indianapolis, Ind. - $16,008,431

Expand the country’s largest Health Information Exchange to new community providers in order to improve cholesterol and blood sugar control for diabetic patients and reduce preventable re-admissions through telemonitoring of high risk chronic disease patients after hospital discharge.

Inland Northwest Health Services, Spokane, Wash. - $15,702,479

Focus on increasing preventive services for diabetic patients in rural areas by extending Health Information Exchange and establishing anchor institutions in close proximity to remote clinics that will promulgate successes in health IT supported care coordination.

Louisiana Public Health Institute, New Orleans, La. - $13,525,434

Reduce racial health disparities and improve control of diabetes and smoking cessation rates by linking technically isolated health systems, providers, and hospitals; and empower patients by increasing their access to Personal Health Records.

Mayo Clinic Rochester, d/b/a Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minn. - $12,284,770

Enhance patient management and, reduce costs associated with hospitalization and emergency services for patients with diabetes and childhood asthma and address reduce health disparities for underserved populations and rural communities.

Rocky Mountain Health Maintenance Organization, Grand Junction, Colo. - $11, 878, 279

Enable robust collection of clinical data from health systems, providers, and hospitals in order to inform practice redesign to improve blood pressure control in patients with diabetes and hypertension, increase smoking cessation counseling, and reduce unnecessary emergency department utilization and hospital re-admissions.

Southern Piedmont Community Care Plan, Inc., Concord, N.C. - $15,907,622

Improve care coordination for patients with diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and asthma by engaging patients and providers in bidirectional data sharing through a Health Record Bank, empowering patients and family members to participate in self-management through patient portals, and expanding access to care managers to facilitate post-discharge planning.

The Regents of the University of California, San Diego, San Diego, Calif. - $15,275,115

Expand pre-hospital emergency field care and electronic information transmission to improve outcomes for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, empower patients to engage in their own health management through web portal and cellular telephone technology, and improve continuity of care for veterans and military personnel through the Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record initiative.

University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, Hawaii - $16,091, 390

Implement a region-wide Health Information Exchange and Patient Health Record solution and utilize secure, internet-based care coordination and tele-monitoring tools to increase access to specialty care for patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity in this rural, health-professional shortage area .

Western New York Clinical Information Exchange, Inc., Buffalo, N.Y. - $16,092,485

Utilize clinical decision support tools such as registries and point-of-care alerts and reminders and innovative telemedicine solutions to improve primary and specialty care for diabetic patients, decrease preventable emergency room visits, hospitalizations and re-admissions for patients with diabetes and congestive heart failure or pneumonia, and improve immunization rates among diabetic patients.

Rhode Island Quality Institute, Providence, R.I. - $15,914,787

Improve the management of patients with diabetes through several health IT initiatives to support Rhode Island’s transition to the Patient Centered Medical Home model and adapt infrastructure proven to improve
childhood immunizations in order to achieve improvements in adult immunization rates.

Privacy and the government

I have been following the incredible WWW2010 conference the last few days, and have been very impressed with this event. I tweeted links to a number of the keynotes and panel discussions and followed the stream of tweets from @FutureWeb2010 and read much of the live blogging from the event. One session that was particularly interesting for me was on privacy by Marc Rotenberg.

Marc Rotenberg is Executive Director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) in Washington, D.C. He teaches information privacy law at Georgetown University Law Center and has testified before Congress on many issues, including access to information, encryption policy, consumer protection, computer security, and communications privacy. Rotenberg testified before the 9/11 Commission on “Security and Liberty: Protecting Privacy, Preventing Terrorism” and has served on several national and international advisory panels. He currently chairs the ABA Committee on Privacy and Information Protection and is the former chair of the Public Interest Registry, which manages the .org domain. Rotenberg is editor of The Privacy Law Sourcebook and co-editor of Information Privacy Law.

He participated in a very interesting panel on the future of privacy and the Web during the FutureWeb 2010 conference. In the video below he discusses his view on privacy, secrecy and the government with Lee Rainie, Director of the Pew Internet & American Life Project.