This is my week for questions and comments, on all kinds of issues bouncing around the health IT blogosphere and news universe. Here are some of my top-of-mind thoughts at the moment:
* With IBM lining up its own group of vendor partners to build the NHIN, how will that work relative to the private exchanges already being built? I know SOA is supposed to be about interoperability, but still...
* If physicians are afraid that EMRs will undercut their productivity, maybe the best way to sell them is to have physician conferences where there's one-to-one teaching and interaction between doctors.
* It's all well and good for Dr. Kolodner to say that the states and localities to drive health IT networking. (And he's not the first to say so.) But unless they offer outright bribery (extreme tax incentives and the like), aren't most institutions going to prefer to roll these solutions out with their trusted vendors, rather than working with the state or begging for a grant to do the same thing?
* OK, I admit this is outside of my expertise, but why would a hospital (see below) spend tons on digital imaging of medical records, knowing that EMRs are coming at some point? (An industry inevitability, I'd call it.) Wouldn't the two models be incompatible?
Would love your thoughts on any and all of the above.
On another subject entirely...
The FierceHealthIT Fierce 15 Fierce Health IT Innovators awards announcement is getting closer by the minute, to be published February 20 just ahead of HIMSS07. If you're a fierce--and by that I mean aggressive, forward looking, young, privately held and innovative--health IT company, feel free to drop us a line.
At this point, I'd much rather hear from a senior tech exec telling me why their company is fierce, though PR contacts will be fine if you're able to get down and dirty. If you can tell me why your company isn't just solving a problem, it's making an impact on the entire industry through skill, market presence and attitude (chutzpah is great) as much as technology, then you're getting the picture. I look forward to hearing from more of you! Meanwhile, thank you to the folks who've already touched base. - Anne