eHI Prepares to Embark on Phase II of the Blueprint

January 28, 2008

In the fall of 2007, Phase I of the eHealth Initiative Blueprint: Building Consensus for Common Action was released to the public. The Blueprint represents multi-stakeholder consensus on a shared vision and a set of principles, strategies and actions for improving health and healthcare through information and information technology (IT). Over the next twelve months, eHI will embark on Phase II of the Blueprint.

Phase I of the Blueprint offers practical guidance and actions for stakeholders seeking to improve healthcare quality, safety and efficiency across any of the five areas that comprise the Blueprint (Engaging Consumers; Transforming Care Delivery at the Point of Care; Improving Population Health; Aligning Financial and Other Incentives; and Managing Privacy, Security and Confidentiality). It also identifies issues where more dialogue is needed. So what's next for the Blueprint?

During Phase II of the Blueprint process, eHI will widely disseminate the Blueprint and gain even further input from a broad variety of stakeholders at the national and local levels. eHI will also ask appropriate organizations to consider implementation of the actions contained in the Blueprint. As organizations operationalize the Blueprint, their feedback will be invaluable in refining and improving these actions in a way that promotes their practical use over time.

During Phase II, eHI will also support implementation of the recommended actions by appropriate organizations, including eHI. Based on considerable feedback from eHI's members and leadership, eHI will focus its efforts on two critical components of the Blueprintengaging consumers regarding the value of health IT and the policies for information sharing and developing a sustainable model for improving health and health care using health IT and health information exchange.

eHI will also track and report on progress, lessons learned and best practices, culminating in the release of our annual report on progress as part of the December 3-5, 2008 eHI Annual Meeting and Conference.

Finally, eHI will encourage national dialogue on those areas for which there is not consensus and actively engage in the deliberation. One of the primary methods for supporting this dialogue in 2008 will be through eHI's efforts to achieve consensus on legislation designed to improve the quality, safety and efficiency of healthcare through information and information technology, based on the eHI Blueprint.

For more information on the eHI Blueprint, click here.

If you have any questions on how to get involved in Phase II, please email Rachel.Hoeft@ehealthinitiative.org.