Thomas W. ColvinImmTrac Manager

EHR/IIS Interoperability

Project

CDC funding opportunity #RFA-IP10-1002ARRA10

Purpose: To address the purpose and measurable outcomes of the ARRA HITECH project, by providing support for the enhanced interoperability of EHR products with ImmTrac.

Eligible Jurisdictions: Section 317 Immunization Program grantees with IIS participation for children <6 years of age with two or more immunizations at 80% or above. Total of 33 eligible grantees.

The project will focus on the exchange of vaccination records and reducing the duplicate data entry burden on providers. This will be accomplished by establishing interfaces between ImmTrac and provider EHRs.

Use of grant funds:

Funding must be used to plan, enhance, adopt, and apply ONC endorsed health information technology standards (HL7 version 2.5.1)

Measureable Outcomes:

Increase the number of enhanced EHR–IIS practice-based electronic interfaces available by 45%.

Increase the number of practice-based electronic immunization transactions reported/timeframe (week, month) to the IIS by 10%

Increase the number/proportion of practice-based immunization data received and recorded in an IIS within 30 days or less by 25%

Required Activities:

Participation in an interoperability panel of experts. Participation in at least one subgroup of the panel of experts.

Development and submission of an implementation plan and a sustainability plan.

Enhance the IIS to ensure that ONC endorsed EHR-IIS interoperability standards are fully operational.

Identify and provide a listing of large, high-volume provider practice sites using any or all of the EHR vendor products currently providing immunization data directly to an IIS through an electronic interface

Identify the number of large, high-volume immunization provider practice sites that will implement changes to their EHR product based on workgroup recommendations

Required Activities (continued):

Conduct pre- and post-interoperability enhancement benchmarking of all measureable outcomes included in this announcement

Work with selected EHR vendors to implement expert panel-developed specifications, install software enhancements, and provide training

Ensure certified implementation of EHR-IIS interoperability specifications at each provider practice site

Evaluate success based on the pre-established criteria, including the number of EHR provider practice sites trained and electronically exchanging data with IIS.

Funding Criteria for Project Partners:

Providers with the highest volume of ImmTrac transactions who currently supply data through their EHR

EHR vendors that are considered by the 2009 TMA study (attached) to have the largest market presence with Texas physicians and clinics, irrespective of ImmTrac data submission

The largest providers (children’s hospitals, birthing hospitals, and pediatric clinics) who currently supply data through their EHR