Authored by executives from Mosaica Partners, a nationally recognized HIE consulting firm, the award-winning book is considered the essential guide to HIE formation and planning
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – March 21, 2012 – The Healthcare Information Management and Systems Society (HIMSS) has named The Health Information Exchange Formation Guide its 2011 Book of the Year.
The book and its co-authors, well-known health information consultants Laura Kolkman, RN, MS, FHIMSS and Bob Brown of Mosaica Partners, were honored on Feb. 23 at the HIMSS Awards Banquet, part of the 2012 Annual HIMSS Conference and Exhibition.
“Each year, the HIMSS Book of the Year award recognizes a book that offers outstanding practical guidance and/or strategic insight for healthcare information and management systems professionals,” said Fran Perveiler, vice president of communications, HIMSS. “Congratulations to authors Laura Kolkman and Bob Brown, winners of the 2011 HIMSS Book of the Year Award for their book, The Health Information Exchange Formation Guide: The Authoritative Guide for Planning and Forming an HIE in Your State, Region, or Community.”
Published by HIMSS in February 2011, The Health Information Exchange Formation Guide has received national acclaim for its practical approach to forming state-, regional- or community-based HIE organizations. The book leverages the insights Kolkman and Brown gleaned from their work with clients, as well as from extensive research and interviews with recognized HIE pioneers. It provides the knowledge and tools that emerging HIE initiatives need to develop a framework for long-term sustainability.
“HIEs play a significant role in ACOs and new emerging care models and are a catalyst for transforming the nation’s healthcare system,” said Kolkman. “The problem is that many organizations and individuals do not know where to begin when planning an HIE. This book, based on our proven HIE Formation Methodology, gets them on the right path.”
“Over the past decade, we have learned about HIEs through the successes and failures of the front runners in exchange initiatives,” Brown added. “By applying these lessons, emerging HIEs can dramatically increase their odds of success, and establish their role in improving the overall efficiency of the healthcare delivery process, enhancing patient outcomes and significantly lowering costs.”
The HIE Formation Guide has garnered industry-wide praise for its structured approach that incorporates leading practices in the planning, formation and operational stages of HIE initiatives. In addition to a high-level history of HIE and in-depth discussion of its importance and role in transforming healthcare, the book includes a step-by-step guide, numerous case studies, examples, checklists and references.
“The Health Information Exchange Formation Guide provides an excellent and diverse grouping of ‘pearls’ from recognized leaders within our industry,” said Dick Thompson, CEO of Grand Junction, Colo.-based Quality Health Network. “I recommend it for nascent as well as more mature organizations, since one never knows where one may find a pearl of wisdom that is applicable to a specific business problem.”
Adds MedVirginia CEO Michael Matthews: “This is an exciting and extremely critical time for health information exchange. The Health Information Exchange Formation Guide provides practical, real-world guidance on important issues facing HIEs today.”
“The Health Information Exchange Formation Guide is an excellent resource for professionals and executives that are starting, developing or implementing HIE networks,” said Jeff Blair, director of health informatics at LCF Research, New Mexico Health Information Collaborative. “The Guide is so well-organized that it can be used as a comprehensive textbook, a reference to relevant case studies, or a quick reference guide to specific HIE topics. “
The Health Information Exchange Formation Guide is available for purchase in the HIMSS online store and as a HIMSS eBook. For more information, including the table of contents and chapter summaries, helpful downloadable figures and checklists, visit www.himss.org/hieformationguide.
About Mosaica Partners
Based in the Tampa Bay, Fla. region, Mosaica Partners (www.mosaicapartners.com) is a nationally recognized management consulting firm providing strategy, business planning, development and process optimization services related to health information exchange. Mosaica provides its services to the federal government, states, regions and communities as well as public and private companies with interests in healthcare informatics and health information exchange. In addition, Mosaica provides advisory services to hardware and software firms that are interested, or actively involved, in the health informatics or HIE market space.
