Minnesota e-Health Initiative
“…accelerate use of HIT to improve quality, increase safety,
reduce costs and enable informed decisions.”
 Private-Public collaboration
 Guided by an advisory
committee
 Comprehensive vision
 Consumer and community
focus
 Inclusive scope: healthcare,
long term care, public health,
academia and other settings
Motivation: Patient Safety
“Paper Kills”
- Newt Gingrich
… inherent safety
threats exist when
relying on paper.
Recommendations:
Four Focus Areas, 17 Priority Projects
Empower Consumers
 Accelerate the availability and use of accessible, portable “My
Personal Health Record.”
Inform and Connect Healthcare Workers
 Fund and implement interconnected health information technology
statewide, focusing on secure health information exchange.
Protect Communities
 Improve population health and protect communities through
accessible prevention resources, widespread knowledge of
community risks, and rapid detection of and response to public
health threats.
Provide Infrastructure
 Ensure the e-Health vision and mission are fulfilled.
Examples of Some 45 Projects
Emerging Statewide
Exchange Projects
• MnHCC – Statewide coordination
Telehealth
• University of MN
• CHIC/SISU – Northeast MN
• Shared Abstract: (AHRQ grant)
• MIIC – Immunization registry
• Medications – e-prescribing through
the HIPAA Collaborative
• Winona community exchange project
• Itasca County Health Network
• HIT-based Regional Medication
Mgmt Pharmacy System
Informatics Education
• St. Scholastica
• University of MN
Personal Health
Records
• Fairview
• HealthPartners
• Children’s
Public Health
• MN Public Health
Information Network
Approach: Leadership Role
for State Government
 Convene stakeholders as a neutral party
 Facilitate statewide, public-private planning
 Create the climate, expectations and forum in
which all leaders can contribute.
 Encourage adoption and use of standards
 Measure/assess use of HIT, quality and safety
 Leverage funding opportunities to fill gaps and
build in sustainability
 Ensure readiness for emergency preparedness
and response
Actions You and Your
Organization Can Take Now
Increase readiness for information exchange
Identify & participate in community/regional
exchange collaboration
Increase health informatics knowledge &
education
Support informatics research and evaluation
Inform your elected representatives on your
needs on this issue
Help shape your state
and national directions
Thank You
Web Resources
Reports and
policy
Directory of
projects
Shared tools
and templates
Minnesota e-Health Initiative
www.health.state.mn.us/e-health