Martin LaVenture

Partnership to promote interprofessional education and practice for population and public health informatics: A case study

Abstract Team-based healthcare delivery models, which emphasize care coordination, patient engagement, and utilization of health information technology, are emerging. To achieve these models, expertise in interprofessional education, collaborative practice across professions, and informatics is essential. This case study from informatics programs in the Academic Health Center (AHC) at the University of Minnesota and the Office of Health Information Technology (OHIT) at the Minnesota Department of Health presents an academic–practice partnership, which focuses on both interprofessionalism and informatics. Outcomes include the Minnesota Framework for Interprofessional Biomedical Health Informatics, comprising collaborative curriculum development, teaching and research, practicums to promote competencies, service to advance biomedical health informatics, and collaborative environments to facilitate a learning health system. Details on these Framework categories are presented. Partnership success is due to interprofessional connections created with emphasis on informatics and to committed leadership across partners. A limitation of this collaboration is the need for formal agreements outlining resources and roles, which are vital for sustainability. This partnership addresses a recommendation on the future of interprofessionalism: that both education and practice sectors be attuned to each other’s expectations and evolving trends. Success strategies and lessons learned from collaborations, such as that of the AHC-OHIT that promote both interprofessionalism and informatics, need to be shared.

Developing Workforce Capacity in Public Health Informatics: Core Competencies and Curriculum Design

We describe a master’s level public health informatics (PHI) curriculum to support workforce development. Public health decision-making requires intensive information management to organize responses to health threats and develop effective health education and promotion. PHI competencies prepare the public health workforce to design and implement these information systems. The objective for a Master’s and Certificate in PHI is to prepare public health informaticians with the competencies to work collaboratively with colleagues in public health and other health professions to design and develop information systems that support population health improvement. The PHI competencies are drawn from computer, information, and organizational sciences. A curriculum is proposed to deliver the competencies and result of a pilot PHI program is presented. Since the public health workforce needs to use information technology effectively to improve population health, it is essential for public health academic institutions to develop and implement PHI workforce training programs.

Minnesota e-Health Data Repositories: Assessing the Status, Readiness & Opportunities to Support Population Health

Health care reform and the use of electronic health record systems is dramatically changing the health care community. High adoption of health information technology has created an opportunity to improve population health by leveraging data collected by health systems. This project describes the informatics characteristics of current and emerging clinical data repositories among Minnesota health care providers. Results will provide a critical understanding of the status, challenges, and opportunities for leveraging the large investment in health care data systems to better support public health prevention programs, epidemiology, and surveillance to improve population health, identify health disparities, and advance health equity.

Health Reform in Minnesota: An Analysis of Complementary Initiatives Implementing Electronic Health Record Technology and Care Coordination

Background: Minnesota enacted legislation in 2007 that requires all health care providers in the state to implement an interoperable electronic health record (EHR) system by 2015. 100% of hospitals and 98% of clinics had adopted EHR systems by end of 2015. Minnesota’s 2008 health reform included a health care home (HCH) program, Minnesota’s patient centered medical home. By end of 2014, 43% of HCH eligible clinics were certified with 335 certified HCHs and 430 eligible but not certified clinics. Objectives: To study the association between adoption and use of EHRs in primary care clinics and HCH certification, including use of clinical decision support tools, patient registries, electronic exchange of patient information, and availability of patient portals. Methods: Study utilized data from the 2015 Minnesota Health Information Technology Clinic Survey conducted annually by the Minnesota Department of Health. The response rate was 80% with 1,181 of 1,473 Minnesota clinics, including 662 HCH eligible primary care clinics. The comparative analysis focused on certified HCHs (311) and eligible but not certified clinics (351). Results: HCH clinics utilized the various tools of EHR technology at a higher rate than non-HCH clinics. This greater utilization was noted across a range of functionalities: clinical decision support, patient disease registries, EHR to support quality improvement, electronic exchange of summary care records and availability of patient portals. HCH certification was significant for clinical decision support tools, registries and quality improvement. Conclusions: HCH requirements of care management, care coordination and quality improvement can be better supported with EHR technology, which underscores the higher rate of utilization of EHR tools by HCH clinics. Optimizing electronic exchange of health information remains a challenge for all clinics, including HCH certified clinics. This research presents the synergy between complementary initiatives supporting EHR adoption and HCH certification. Ultimately, improvement in health outcomes depends on effective intersection of people, processes and technology.