Cool Technology of the Week

 Although I did not attend HIMSS this year because of my wife's chemotherapy timing, I did send several of my staff.    I asked them to summarize the cool technologies, most frequently heard buzzwords, and the overall conference trends.

Just as "Plastics" was the catchword from The Graduate, this year's HIMSS Conference theme was a combination "Cloud-based EHRs" and "HIE".

Cloud-based EHRs which follow the model pioneered by AthenaHeath for minimal hardware and minimal configuration in the office now include a number of new entrants including CareCloud and iPatientCare.   It will be interesting to see how these companies address the issue of integration with hardware in the office, the desire for customization, and the need for unique interfacing/integration with third party products.

HIE companies are appearing on the landscape faster than ever before.   Companies such as Orion, Intersystems, RelayHealth, United/OptumInsight, Aenta/Medicity, DBmotion, Axway, and Certify are increasingly visible in the industry.

With the Stage 2 NPRMs and increased HIMSS emphasis on interoperability, the industry is fast moving toward the Learning Healthcare System we've all envisioned.   That's cool!