Standards/Implementation Specifications/Certification Criteria: http://www.ofr.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2010-17210_PI.pdf

The main objective of the project is to achieve electronic data exchange interoperability between states, including sharing influenza surveillance laboratory test orders and results. The goal is to be better equipped to prevent or delay the spread of influenza and other illnesses, as well as dramatically improve potential surge capacities for situations such as H1N1(Swine) flu. More information on the Texas-Florida Collaboration can be found here. Also, click here to listen to Grace Kubin from the Texas Department of State Health Services present a summary on the project at the CDC’s PHIN Conference in 2009.

Webinar Info:

2:00 – 3:00 PM ET
Link: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/cdc/join?id=5KMD4J&role=attend&pw=gGC%3C%60X62j
Toll free: +1 (866) 509-2958
Participant code: 1278012

Willis Gibson, TDSHS and Jeff Couch, Uber Operations/FDOH

More Information on InfoLinks can be found here.

Listen to LiveMeeting recording here.

Event Web Site: http://www.techlatino2030.org/

More Information on the Health IT Workshop

4:15 pm – 5:45 pm
Latinos and Health Information Technology
House Visitors Center, Room HVC201AB
Washington, DC 20230

Panel Description: Health Information Technology (HIT) is the tool but the real goal is something that transcends health IT. It’s better quality care, cost-effective, patient-centered care.
HIT is the tool through which ultimately health care providers will give, not just better care, but better health outcomes. LISTA believes HIT will give many Small businesses, especially Latinos tech businesses, and opportunity to grow along with this growing industry, and stimulate the economy and develop a new opportunities for all Americans. Latinos will be an indispensable part of this growing industry.

Panelist:
Eduardo Gonzalez Loumiet, Managing Director, Uber Operations, LLC – Moderator
Dr. José Enrique Piovanetti, CMIO, CIO, Puerto Rico Department of Health
Alex Bello, Consultant for Electronic Health Information Systems, LLC.
Erik Pupo, Health Interoperability Architect, Vangent Inc. (Über Operations strategic partner)

Click here to see video

Other speakers include:
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski
Congressman Hank Johnson
Congressman Ben Lujan
Henry M. Rivera, Former FCC Commissioner
Dr. Elena Rios, National President, National Hispanic Medical Association
Congressman Luis Gutierrez
Congressman John Salazar
Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart

Eduardo Gonzalez Loumiet with LISTA President, Jose Marquez

About Latinos in Information Sciences and Technology Association (LISTA)

LISTA (www.a-lista.org) promotes the utilization of the technology sectors for the empowerment of the Latino community. We are an organization that is committed to bringing various elements of Technology under one central hub to facilitate our partners, members and the community with the leverage and education they need to succeed in a highly advanced technologically driven society.

About Uber Operations

Founded in 2004, Über Operations is a leading provider of health care IT services due in part to their exclusive IT resources, their creativity, and hard work. Their goal is to provide the highest quality in software solutions and to find and work with the best IT professionals in the industry. Über Operations provides the integration services for several large private and public organizations, such as: the Florida Dept of Health, Texas Dept of State Health Services, and the University of Washington. Über Operations team members are considered experts in health information exchange technology such as Rhapsody, Cloverleaf, PHINMS, NHIN CONNECT, and Mirth to name a few. For more information on Über Operations please visit www.ÜberOps.com .

TALLAHASSEE, FL – June 4, 2010 – Uber Operations team members attended the Florida Health Information Exchange Kickoff Meeting held at Florida State University on June 4, 2010. As many of you know, Uber Operations is heavily involved with information exchange throughout Florida. Uber Operations provides the data integration services to the award-winning Florida Department of Health’s Division of Information Technology. Also, Uber Operations manages one of two PHLIP Route-not-Read Hubs, which facilitates the exchange of laboratory orders and results throughout the United States. Our story can be found here.

“Since 2004, we have been contributing to the success of the current public health information exchange throughout Florida and we look forward to continuing are hard work by participating in the Florida Health Information Network project,” said Eduardo Gonzalez Loumiet, Managing Director. “It was great seeing several hundred audience members today at the Kickoff. The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) is doing a wonderful job in communicating with stakeholders and I believe we are on the right track to planning our statewide health information exchange.”

Several of the speakers at today’s FL HIE Kickoff included:

• Dr. David Blumenthal, National Coordinator, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
• Ms. Laura Adams, Chair, National eHealth Collaborative
• Mr. Thomas W. Arnold, Secretary, Agency for Health Care Administration
• Mr. David Taylor, Florida Agency for Enterprise Information Technology
• Dr. Michael Barnes, Regenstrief Institute

Below is a short clip from the event(our perspective):

Click her for an official video on the event.

Event Information: http://www.fhin.net/FHIN/FHINevents.shtml

John Butler presenting on using technology to advance your business

The summit featured speakers on a variety of business related topics. Dr. Felipe Korzenny, of the Center for Hispanic Marketing at Florida State University, presented on the influence of the Hispanic market on the market as a whole. From Florida A&M University, Mr. Chris Workman, CPA and Certified Business Analyst, educated attendees on how to establish a business in the state of Florida. Dr. Jerry Osteryoung, Director of Outreach for the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship, gave an energetic presentation on the ten secrets of profitability. Florida Commerce Credit Union was also present,   and Park Broome, a Commercial Account Executive at the credit union, spoke about how to get your business funded.

John Butler, Managing Member of Über Operations, presented on how to use technology to advance your business. Roughly 2 years ago, Über Operations cut ties with their brick and mortar office and went almost entirely virtual. Navigating through the growing number of web services was a task John took on personally for Über Operations. With this experience in hand, John’s presentation outlined solutions for the core facets of any business including email and antivirus protection, phone service, file storage/sharing, and customer relationship management. Selecting cost effective options for your business was something else John highlighted. Many of the solutions suggested came in well below the costs of solutions offered by companies like Microsoft, and attendees were pleased to learn some were even free.

Jeff Couch, Managing Member, and Eduardo Gonzalez Loumiet, Managing Director of Über Operations participated in a panel of local entrepreneurs to share their story. Other panelists included Claudia Marchena, Owner and CEO, Marchena Translations, Shane Molinari, President of Molinari Technical Solutions, Brian Ramos, Chief Brand Strategist for ThinkCreative, and Zach Finn, Vice President of Avocare and Project Director of the Big Bend RHIO. The panel, moderated by Über Operations’ Eduardo Gonzalez Loumiet, was conducted as a conversational Q&A session with the audience. Panelists touched on everything from how to stand out from a crowd and get hired, to how to survive in hard economic times.

A networking social rounded off the event, giving attendees another opportunity to expand their business network. Über Operations is looking forward to participating in the 2011 THLPE Business and Entrepreneurship Summit.

Panel of local small businesses and THLPE president Alex Bello, from left: Alex Bello, Eduardo Gonzalez Loumiet, Shane Molinari, Brian Ramos, Zach Finn, Jeff Couch, center: Claudia Marchena

About Über Operations

Founded in 2004, Über Operations is a leading provider of health care IT services due in part to their exclusive IT resources, their creativity, and hard work. Their goal is to provide the highest quality in software solutions and to find and work with the best IT professionals in the industry. Über Operations provides the integration services for several large private and public organizations, such as: the Florida Dept of Health, Texas Dept of State Health Services, and the University of Washington. Über Operations team members are considered experts in open source technology such as PHINMS, NHIN CONNECT, and Mirth to name a few. For more information on Über Operations please visit www.UberOperations.com.

About THPLE:

The Tallahassee Hispanic/Latino Professionals & Entrepreneurs are working together to strengthen the network of professionals and entrepreneurs in the Hispanic/Latino community and to promote opportunities for young Hispanics/Latinos of all ages through leadership, scholarship, service, and diversity. The organization hosts monthly “Networking Socials” and other events in the community to help provide its members with opportunities for person and professional growth. For more information on THLPE, please visit www.thlpe.org.

Tallahassee - John Parker recently led the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) to become Public Health Information Network (PHIN) Certified for the Notification/Send processes for the Nationally Notifiable Disease – Varicella. Parker has been a Data Integration Developer with Über Operations, an IT consulting firm based in Tallahassee, for the past three years. The Varicella certification is the first of several certifications for the FDOH that Parker and the Über Operations team will be a part of this year.

Varicella, commonly known as Chickenpox, became reportable in Florida in November of 2006. It is one of more than seventy conditions that are considered nationally notifiable by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The purpose of the PHIN Varicella certification is to standardize the notification and transmission of periodic disease reporting to the CDC.

To pass the certification, applicants are required to meet three functionality requirements:

1. The ability to compose functional Varicella case notification messages
2. The ability to securely send the messages to the CDC
3. Application(s) used must be secure and available

Achieving these requirements involves acquiring the data from the FDOH Merlin surveillance system which is stored in a SQL database. A stored procedure queries the data and converts it into an XML formatted file. The XML data is then translated via the Cloverleaf Integration Broker tool into a standardized HL7 format (version 2.5) that is sent via PHINMS to the CDC for their consumption.

Parker and the Über Operations team have plans to pursue further PHIN certifications to ensure that FDOH remains a leader in healthcare information exchange.

About PHIN
The CDC Public Health Information Network (PHIN) is a national initiative to improve the capacity of public health to use and exchange information electronically by promoting the use of standards and defining functional and technical requirements. PHIN strives to improve public health by enhancing research and practice through best practices related to efficient, effective, and interoperable public health information systems.

UPDATE: John Parker and the Über Operations Team have just completed the PHIN Certification for Tuberculosis.

About Über Operations
Founded in 2004, Über Operations is a leading provider of health care IT services due in part to their exclusive IT resources, their creativity, and hard work. Their goal is to provide the highest quality in software solutions and to find and work with the best IT professionals in the industry. Über Operations provides the integration services for several large private and public organizations, such as: the Florida Dept of Health, Texas Dept of State Health Services, and the University of Washington. Über Operations team members are considered experts in open source technology such as PHINMS, NHIN CONNECT, and Mirth to name a few. For more information on Über Operations please visit www.ÜberOps.com.

Contact:
Eduardo Gonzalez Loumiet, MBA, PMP
Managing Director
Über Operations, LLC
(850) 766-5338
eddie@ÜberOps.com

TALLAHASSEE  - The Tallahassee Hispanic/Latino Professionals and Entrepreneurs (THLPE) announced that they will be hosting their First Annual Business & Entrepreneurship Summit in Tallahassee, FL on May 1. The Summit is being created to help small business owners and entrepreneurs of North Florida gain the tools and information they need to create/improve their businesses.  Topics will include:

• Top 10 Secrets for Profitability for Small Businesses
• How to Secure Funding for My Small Business in a Recession
• The Influence of the Hispanic Market on the Overall Market
• Successful Small Business Stories & Experiences (Panel)
• The Virtual Office: How to Leverage Technology to Save Money in a Digital World

Confirmed speakers include:

• FELIPE KORZENNY, Ph.D., Center for Hispanic Marketing, Florida State University
• CLAUDIA MARCHENA, Owner and CEO, Marchena Translations
• CHRIS WORKMAN, CPA Certified Business Analyst, Florida A&M University
• JOSE MARQUEZ, National President, Latinos in Information Sciences and Technology Association
• MARY MANGAN, Owner and CEO, Seminole Sitters, LLC
• JEFF COUCH, Founder and Managing Partner, Uber Operations
• JERRY OSTERYOUNG, Ph.D., Director of Outreach, Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship, Florida State University
• JOHN BUTLER, Managing Partner and CTO, Uber Operations
• CARLOS VALDEZ, Ph.D, Assistant Professor of Marketing, Chair, Business Department, Keiser University
• EDUARDO GONZALEZ LOUMIET, Director, Latinos in Information Sciences and Technology Association

THLPE has partnered with Über Operations (www.uberops.com) and the Latinos in Information Science and Technology Association (www.a-lista.org) to host the summit.  “6 years ago, Über Operations was a two-man company working out of a home and now it is now a national award-winning organization employing over 25 people.  We want to see many more small businesses in North Florida succeed like we have and this summit provided the perfect opportunity to collaborate with this next generation of small business owners and entrepreneurs” said Eduardo Gonzalez Loumiet, Managing Director of Über Operations.

The date of the event is May 1 and will be held at the ALOFT Hotel in Tallahassee.  If you would like to participate or help sponsor the Business and Entrepreneurship Summit, please contact Alex Bello at alex.bello@thlpe.org

About THPLE:
The Tallahassee Hispanic/Latino Professionals & Entrepreneurs are working together to strengthen the network of professionals and entrepreneurs in the Hispanic/Latino community and to promote opportunities for young Hispanics/Latinos of all ages through leadership, scholarship, service, and diversity.  The organization hosts monthly “Networking Socials” and other events in the community to help provide its members with opportunities for person and professional growth.  For more information on THLPE, please visit www.thlpe.org.

About Über Operations:
Founded in 2004, Über Operations is now a leading provider of health care IT services due in part to their exclusive IT resources, their creativity, and hard work. Their goal is to provide the highest quality in software solutions and to find and work with the best IT professionals in the industry. Über Operations provides the integration services for several large private and public organizations, such as: the Florida Dept of Health, Texas Dept of State Health Services, and the University of Washington. Über Operations team members are considered experts in open source technology such as PHINMS, NHIN CONNECT, and Mirth to name a few. For more information on Über Operations please contact: sales@uberops.com.

About LISTA

LISTA’s (www.a-lista.org) mission is simple: to educate, motivate and empower the Latino community with Technology. LISTA promotes the utilization of the technology sectors for the empowerment of the Latino community. LISTA is an organization that is committed to bringing various elements of technology under one central hub to facilitate our partners, members and the community with the leverage and education they need to succeed in a highly advanced technologically driven society.

TALLAHASSEE  - The Tallahassee Hispanic/Latino Professionals and Entrepreneurs (THLPE) announced that they will be hosting their First Annual Business & Entrepreneurship Summit in Tallahassee, FL in May. The Summit is being created to help small business owners and entrepreneurs of North Florida gain the tools and information they need to create/improve their businesses.  Topics will include:

• Top 10 Secrets for Profitability for Small Businesses
• How to Secure Funding for My Small Business in a Recession
• The Influence of the Hispanic Market on the Overall Market
• Successful Small Business Stories & Experiences (Panel)
• The Virtual Office: How to Leverage Technology to Save Money in a Digital World

THLPE has partnered with Über Operations (www.uberops.com) and the Latinos in Information Science and Technology Association (www.a-lista.org) to host the summit.  ”6 years ago, Über Operations was a two-man company working out of a home and now it is now a national award-winning organization employing over 25 people.  We want to see many more small businesses in North Florida succeed like we have and this summit provided the perfect opportunity to collaborate with this next generation of small business owners and entrepreneurs” said Eduardo Gonzalez Loumiet, Managing Director of Über Operations.

The final date and location of the event will be announced March 1st. If you would like to participate or help sponsor the Business and Entrepreneurship Summit, please contact Alex Bello at alex.bello@thlpe.org

About THPLE:
The Tallahassee Hispanic/Latino Professionals & Entrepreneurs are working together to strengthen the network of professionals and entrepreneurs in the Hispanic/Latino community and to promote opportunities for young Hispanics/Latinos of all ages through leadership, scholarship, service, and diversity.  The organization hosts monthly “Networking Socials” and other events in the community to help provide its members with opportunities for person and professional growth.  For more information on THLPE, please visit www.thlpe.org.

About Über Operations:
Founded in 2004, Über Operations is now a leading provider of health care IT services due in part to their exclusive IT resources, their creativity, and hard work. Their goal is to provide the highest quality in software solutions and to find and work with the best IT professionals in the industry. Über Operations provides the integration services for several large private and public organizations, such as: the Florida Dept of Health, Texas Dept of State Health Services, and the University of Washington. Über Operations team members are considered experts in open source technology such as PHINMS, NHIN CONNECT, and Mirth to name a few. For more information on Über Operations please contact: sales@uberops.com.

About LISTA

LISTA’s (www.a-lista.org) mission is simple: to educate, motivate and empower the Latino community with Technology. LISTA promotes the utilization of the technology sectors for the empowerment of the Latino community. LISTA is an organization that is committed to bringing various elements of technology under one central hub to facilitate our partners, members and the community with the leverage and education they need to succeed in a highly advanced technologically driven society.

HHS will deploy CRM software to RECs for managing medical providers’ implementation of electronic record systems

• By Rutrell Yasin
• Feb 19, 2010

The Health and Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information is looking to deploy cloud-based customer relationship and project management software over the next six weeks to its Regional Extension Centers.

The software will help the RECs to more effectively track and manage medical providers implementing electronic health record (EHR) systems, said Marty Young, managing director of Acumen Solutions, the company implementing the technology. The cloud computing CRM and project management technology comes from Salesforce.com, and HHS will used it nationally.

SalesForce.com provides and hosts prebuilt applications for commercial users and government agencies in what is known as software-as-a-service offerings. Acumen has customized the software to meet HHS business and specifications.

Source: http://gcn.com/Articles/2010/02/19/Health-and-Human-Services-cloud-computing.aspx?p=1

A Message from Dr. David Blumenthal, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology

Today we announce the first cooperative agreement awards authorized by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act.  It marks a major milestone in our journey towards nationwide adoption and meaningful use of health information technology (health IT).   One set of awards provides $386 million to 40 States and qualified State-Designated Entities to rapidly build capacity for exchanging health information across the health care system both within and between states through the State Health Information Exchange Cooperative Agreement Program. The other awards provide $375 million to create 32 Regional Extension Centers (RECs) that will support the efforts of health professionals, starting with priority primary care providers, to become meaningful users of electronic health records (EHRs). Additional awards will be made in both programs over the coming weeks. Together, these programs will help modernize the use of health information, improving the quality and efficiency of care for all Americans.
As part of the State Health Information Exchange Cooperative Agreement Program, states will play a leadership role in achieving HIE to meet health reform goals. The funds awarded will be used to establish and implement plans for statewide HIE by creating the appropriate governance, policies, and technical services required to support HIE. Developing this state-level capability will help us break down the   current barriers to HIE and help providers to qualify for Medicare and Medicaid incentives under the HITECH Act. The awards will also strongly encourage states to consider participating in the Nationwide Health Information Network as an approach to HIE.  This would create a pathway toward seamless, nationwide health information exchange.
While the State HIE awards will strengthen capacity for health information exchange, the Health Information Technology Extension Program awards will establish RECs to deliver direct outreach, education, and technical assistance services to health care providers in their regions. Each REC will focus most intensively on the physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners who work as part of individual and small group primary care practices, as well as those who dedicate themselves to providing health care to the underserved. Primary care providers in small practices provide the great majority of such services in the U.S. but have limited resources to implement, meaningfully use, and maintain EHR systems. On-site technical assistance for these priority primary care providers will be a key service offered by the RECs.   RECs will assist providers who have not adopted EHRs, as well as those who have but need help progressing to meaningful use.  Regional extension centers will also help providers keep health information private and secure.
The Health Information Technology Extension Program and the State Health Information Exchange Cooperative Agreement Program are critical components to the end of a nation-wide interoperable, private and secure electronic health information system.  I look forward to working in collaboration with each state and REC as they establish their programs, begin work within their communities, and promote the transformation of our health care system. I applaud each awarded entity for its dedication to the mission of improving the quality of health care and for the leadership and guidance it will provide.
Sincerely,

David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P.
National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) encourages you to share this information as we work together to enhance the quality, safety and value of care and the health of all Americans through the use of electronic health records and health information technology.

For more information and to receive regular updates from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, please subscribe to our Health IT News list.