Examples: Past EHR Workshop Agendas

Application

Note: Application deadline and other dates were changed on March 30, 2009.

• Word Version: Request for Applications - Regional 2-Day EHR/HIT Workshops (Word - 240 KB)
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Office of Health Information Technology (OHIT)
Health Resurces and Services Administration (HRSA)
2-Day Electronic Health Records (EHR) / Health Information Technology (HIT) Workshops

Request for Applications

TIME LINE FOR PROJECT

Application and additional information are also available at: http://www.hrsa.gov/healthit/

For help with this application please contact the Office of Health Information Technology (OHIT) at HRSA at: HealthIT@hrsa.gov

BACKGROUND

The Office of Health Information Technology (OHIT) was created by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to promote the effective adoption of health information technology (HIT) across HRSA grantees. OHIT was the recent recipient of the Hubert H. Humphrey Award for Service to America, for outstanding performance in promoting the adoption and effective use of health information technology in the safety net community. OHIT serves as the Agency's principal advisors for promoting the adoption of HIT to not only improve quality and effectiveness of care, but also to improve patient health outcomes over the long term. OHIT administers a number of direct grants to promote HIT implementation and the expansion among a broad range of providers that serve medically underserved populations and provide a safety-net of care for those populations.

Many HRSA grantees and programs have been at the forefront of demonstrating the power of leveraging HIT to manage care for vulnerable patient populations. HRSA has long supported the use of HIT applications as a means of providing quality health services to underserved populations, ranging from demonstrating the efficacy and viability of Telehealth systems to promoting practice management systems, electronic health records (EHRs) and chronic disease registries to improve access to high quality health care through the electronic capture, analysis and reporting of information.

Recent events have also made the provision of HIT adoption technical assistance a high national priority. The recent signing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 includes almost $20 billion to promote HIT. President Obama's goal is to have an EHR for all Americans by 2014. Health centers are expected to receive millions more in funds to implement HIT and these efforts will require significant technical assistance to assist with effective adoption.

OHIT is seeking HRSA-funded network partners to assist in planning and conducting numerous small (30-50 participants), 2-day, practical workshops for HRSA grantees across the country. The networks planning the workshops will have discretion over the agenda. However, the workshops should focus on planning for an EHR and other HIT implementation including such topics as readiness, workflow assessment, system selection, including clinicians (users) in the decision making process of both IT purchase and implementation, collaboration, due diligence, contracts, implementation, training, sustainability, quality improvement, and incorporating HRSA core measures in the IT systems for reporting,

Examples: Past EHR Workshop Agendas

In 2008, OHIT held four workshops in the following areas:

• EHR implementation workshop hosted by Community Health Access Network and the Maine Primary Care Association in Portland, ME.
  
  
• EHR implementation workshop hosted by the Delta Health Alliance in Tunica, MSI.
  
  
• EHR implementation workshop hosted by the Chicago Health Alliance in Chicago, IL.
  
  
• EHR implementation workshop hosted by OCHIN in Portland, OR.

OHIT welcomes proposals for EHR and HIT implementation from networks in all geographic areas of the country. The networks who hosted workshops in 2008 are welcome to submit a proposal to host workshops in 2009. After reviewing the lists of attendees from the 2008 workshops, taking into account regions that did not attend the workshops as heavily as other regions, and taking into account feedback from workshop attendees and grantees, we are particularly interested in holding the following workshops:

• A regional EHR implementation workshop in the mid-Atlantic states to include Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia.
  
  
• A regional EHR implementation to include the states of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Arizona.
  
  
• A regional EHR workshop that focuses on EHR implementation in the southeastern states to include Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas.
  
  
• A regional HIT workshop (or workshops) to include Telehealth, electronic health records, rural health care, and/or health information exchange in the region including Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah.
  
  
• A regional HIT workshop (or workshops) to include Telehealth, electronic health records, rural health care, and/or health information exchange in Alaska.
  
  
• An EHR implementation workshop that focuses on open source solutions.
  
  
• An EHR implementation workshop that focuses on child health and pediatric EHR functionality.
  
  
• A regional HIT implementation workshop (or workshops) that focuses on health information exchange and Telehealth, where appropriate.
  
  
• An HIT implementation workshop (or workshops) that focuses on electronic prescribing or tele-pharmacy.
  
  
• An HIT implementation workshop (or workshops) that focuses on meaningful use of EHRs or Telehealth technologies to improve quality and patient outcomes.
  
  
• A workshop focusing on sustainability, personal health records, and other advanced topics for operational networks.
  
  
• A workshop focusing on Critical Access Hospitals and HIT.
  
  
• Workshops in other regions of the country that focus on Telehealth, particularly as it involves rural and urban communities and health centers, including sustainability and approaches to documenting outcomes (e.g., improved quality, efficiency) resulting from Telehealth services.

The selected network partners will work closely with OHIT and their logistics and technical assistance contractors to plan and host the workshop. The selected network partners will have opportunities to work with each other and previous workshop hosts to shape their workshop agendas and goals.

The networks will have the opportunity to share their expertise and hands-on experience in planning and implementing EHR, Telehealth, and other HIT systems and to introduce other experts to share their perspectives. For example, previous hosts have used speakers from their own network as well as other networks; along with expert consultants to serve as workshop trainers. The global objectives for the workshop are:

• Help participants to implement EHRs, Telehealth, and/or other HIT effectively and efficiently,
• Maximize the use of electronic data to improve quality,
• Guide their organization through the procurement process including due diligence and vendor selection,
• Create a cohort of workshop participants that continue to support each other through the implementation process,
• Allow for interaction and hands-on small-group technical assistance during the workshop including the opportunity to discuss EHR, Telehealth technology selection guidelines, sample RFPs, contract checklists, project plans, evaluation tools including quality measures, and other relevant implementation tools, and
• Describe elements of successful planning and/or implementation of EHR, Telehealth, and other HIT applications.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

HRSA/OHIT

• Coordinate with logistics contractor and workshop host
• Distribute workshop announcements/invitations via HRSA list serves
• Ensure that previous and future workshop materials are posted on the web
• Provide overall vision and goals for workshops

HRSA's Logistics Contractor

• Provide up to $5,000 ($5,000 is included in the $15,000 referenced below in “AWARD INFORMATION”) worth of logistical support, e.g.,
• help workshop host coordinate meeting space
• help coordinate workshop planning meetings with workshop host and OHIT
• Execute scope agreement with workshop host and pay for workshop costs up to amount agreed to by OHIT

Network

• Determine workshop agenda in collaboration with OHIT
• Identify meeting space needs/location
• Create budget - including registration fee need/rate
• Identify and arrange for workshop speakers
• Set date for workshop
• Create/provide workshop materials for/to workshop attendees.
• Submit workshop materials, e.g., agenda and presentations to OHIT for web posting

AWARD INFORMATION

• Approximately 12 networks will be funded with one-time awards.
• Projects will cover the period of May - September 30, 2009.
• The project award to support workshop activities will be up to $15,000, which includes logistical and technical support from OHIT and its contractors and registration fees from workshop participants.

WHO CAN APPLY

HRSA-funded networks, health center controlled networks, Telehealth Resource Centers, Critical Access Hospitals, Telehealth Network Grant Programs, Special Programs of National Significance (HIV AIDS) or other like organizations that have successfully implemented health information technology such as EHRs, Telehealth, Telepharmacy, and electronic prescribing at multiple sites.

NOTE: “Implemented” is defined as HIT that is used by all clinicians to capture clinical information on patients at multiple locations within an organization or across agencies. “Networks” are defined as a group of safety net providers (minimum of three collaborators/members) collaborating horizontally or vertically to improve access to and quality of care, and achieve cost efficiencies.

REQUIREMENTS

• Willingness to host the meeting in the areas and/or on the topics specified in the request
• Must not promote specific software, product or services
• Conduct the workshop as a technical assistance effort in support of OHIT's priorities
• Ability to host the workshop within the May – September 2009 time frame

REVIEW PROCESS

Applications will be reviewed by an objective committee comprised of public health and health information technology experts with final funding approvals guided by OHIT leadership. Successful applications will be selected based on their relevancy to the following qualities:

Applicant's abilities to carry out the workshop (Section B, 50 points total)

1. Access to potential workshop speakers and sponsor agencies
2. Experience with workshop development and presentations
3. Relevance of your Network's EHR and other HIT experience to HRSA grantees
4. Available/not available dates for the proposed workshop

Workshop description (Sections B and C, 30 points total)

1. Goals of the workshop in supporting EHR, Telehealth, or other HIT technology adoption
2. Sample of 2-day workshop agenda(s)
3. Clear and concise description of how the agenda(s) and speakers will accomplish the workshops goal(s).

Budget (Section D, 20 points total)

1. Projected budget showing each item and its cost
2. Justification for each item listed in the budget
3. Willingness to contribute staff time and resources, e.g., tools and on-site facilities, for workshop planning/participation
4. Supplemental sources of funding to support the workshop

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Completed applications should include:

• Cover Page (included as Section A)
• Applicant and Workshop Description (included as Section B)
• Workshop Plan (included as Section C)
• Budget Section and Supplemental Budget Information (included as Section D)

Applications that are illegible or inconsistent with the format provided will not be reviewed. Please limit your response in each section to two pages.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION

Completed applications must be received by 5 p.m. EST on April 9, 2009. (Note: new deadline)

Email one completed copy of the application to: HealthIT@hrsa.gov
or mail to:

HRSA
Office of Health Information Technology
ATTN: Mr. Sean Dalenberg
7C-26
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville , MD 20857

 

SECTION A: COVER PAGE

Organization/Group Name:

Address:

Zip Code:

Grantee Number:

HHS Region:

Application Contact:

Title of Contact:

Email:

Phone Number:

Fax:

Total Amount Requested (up to $15,000):

SECTION B: APPLICANT AND WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

APPLICANT NAME _________________________________________

1. Describe your network/group and its purpose.
   
   
2. Describe your network's experience in implementing similar workshops, training and/or educational seminars.
   
   
3. Who in your network will be leading the proposed workshop activities?
   
   
4. Submit a list of dates your Network is available to host a workshop between May 13, 2009 and September 30, 2009, as well as those dates that your Network is not available.
   
   Available:
   
   Not-Available:
   
   
5. If you are partnering with other groups, please list and describe them below.
   
   
6. Describe your Network's EHR and/or other HIT implementation and usage experience to date.
   
   
7. What do you want to accomplish with this workshop? Please list these goals.

SECTION C: WORKSHOP PLAN DESCRIPTION

NETWORK NAME _________________________________________

1. In the table below, please present a possible agenda representing the items/issues to be discussed as well as other activities including social and/or networking. Examples are provided for information purposes only. Full agendas for the previous four workshops are available on the HRSA HIT Community.

SECTION D: BUDGET SECTION

APPLICANT NAME ______________________________________

List each of your expected costs in the table below. Examples are provided but not intended to be all inclusive.

SECTION D (continued): SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET INFORMATION

In the space below, please list any other sources of funds or resources that you will use to support the proposed workshop.

Name of Person responsible for managing the award funds:

Position within organization:

Address:

Zip Code:

Email:

Telephone: