2011 is going to see a dramatic increase in the adoption of EHR software and digital patient information exchange will become an even greater priority in order to meet Stage 1 meaningful use requirements.

If you are an IT Manager, this looks like it will require an all hands on deck and a huge shift in how things have been run throughout your organization. Since all patient data will need to be exchanged digitally in a safe and reliable way, you will be tasked with:

• Ensuring application interfaces can connect internally as well as make connections outbound through your firewall
• Making sure your IT ecosystems are documented carefully to determine where the holes are in internal and outbound connectivity
• Allocating resources for managing all new connections and configuring your firewall to accept new connections
• Dedicating staff to managing the new network; either adding to overhead or detracting from other initiatives within the organization

Some things to think about in 2011 as you prepare to meet these new requirements are:

1. Meaningful Use Incentives: Registration for the EHR Incentive program started on January 3rd: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/government-ehr-incentive-program-ready-go

2. New Infrastructure: New processes will need to be learned as you begin interfacing to all the EHRs, PMS’, HIEs, Physician Groups, Clinical Labs, etc. being brought onto the network.

3. Security: All patient health information will need to be encrypted and transported securely in order to meet HIPAA compliance.

4. Training: Staff will need to be trained and allocated to manage these networks. As your network continues to grow, so will the resources required to support and manage it. Changes in your firewall will need to happen and application interfaces will need to be built.

5. Solution Providers: HISPs (Health Information Service Providers) will need to be selected. Not everything can/should be done in-house, so you will need to determine how to minimize the total impact of these new application interoperability requirements. Your EMR may already provide application interfaces, but it is possible that many of your systems do not support outbound connectivity.

2011 will bring a lot of change for the healthcare industry as a whole, and with that change, progress. Despite the huge burden these new regulations will have on IT departments large and small, the end game will produce a cohesive, secure and reliable patient information exchange that improves the quality of care for all Americans.