Minnesota's e-Health Initiative Workgroups

According to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Minnesota e-Health Update email, there will be three workgroups of the Minnesota e-Health Initiative that will meet regularly in 2013–2014 on health information exchange, standards and interoperability, and privacy and security.

All workgroup meetings are open to the public. To join a workgroup email list and receive more details, email the contact person for each workgroup below.

Health information exchange

Charge: Serve as the lead workgroup in coordinating the development of statewide policy recommendations related to health information exchange (HIE) into an integrated statewide approach. Review progress made around HIE in the state, including identifying key issues that must be addressed in order to enable HIE in Minnesota. Recommend policy considerations for Minnesota’s approach to HIE, including recommended updates to Minnesota’s laws pertaining to HIE. Recommend HIE resources and actions that will help increase adoption of HIE statewide. Engage and rely on subject matter experts convened through the other e-Health Initiative workgroups, as necessary, to address key issues identified.
Contact: Bob Johnson, bob.b.johnson@state.mn.us

Privacy and security

Charge: Review and comment on privacy and security-related policies and guidance, and make recommendations on policies and practices that support compliance with state and federal requirements (including meaningful use) related to electronic health records (EHRs) and health information exchange. Recommend to providers and health care stakeholders activities that support the implementation of sound privacy and security practices for health information. Ensure that the needs of consumers, providers, and health care stakeholders are fully considered in the development of educational resources and tools.
Contact: Bob Johnson, bob.b.johnson@state.mn.us

Standards and interoperability

Charge: Review and recommend nationally recognized standards, implementation specifications and certification criteria necessary to facilitate and expand the secure electronic movement and use of health information among organizations in Minnesota. Discuss and understand the recommended exchange standard Consolidated-Clinical Document Architecture (C-CDA) for meaningful use, including recommended vocabulary standards; identify needed standards for structured data capture and transfer including nursing documentation; and propose recommendations. Communicate adoption data and information on standards, implementation specifications and certification criteria related to the requirements of "meaningful use" and the Minnesota 2015 interoperable EHR mandate; and recommend resources and actions that will help increase implementation of these standards.
Contact: Sidney Salehi, Sidney.salehi@state.mn.us

Meeting dates and locations will be posted on the MN e-Health Calendar webpage as they are scheduled.