Geographies Meeting 2010-09-29

Notes from Geographies Meeting
Date: September 29, 2010
Time: 12pm-1pm
Attendees: Douglas Arnold, Greg Chittim, Gary Christensen, Didi Davis, Michael Firriolo, Andy Heeren, Eric Heflin, Uvinie Hettiaratchy, Don Jorgenson, David Kibbe, Srinivas Koka, Kim Long, Arien Malec, Parag More, Kate Nixon, Patrick Pyette, Will Ross, Jas Singh, David Tao, Paul Tuten, John Williams

Pilot Project Brief - Medical Professional Services (MPS)

Current Actions

#	Date	Action	Status	Owner	Due Date
39	2010/08/25	Update the Technology Providers x Pilots Crosswalk	Open	Pilot Leads: Susan Torzewski, Will Ross	2010/09/01
41	2010/08/25	Update wiki page for each individual pilot project, including the user stories being tested	Open	Pilot Leads: Doug Arnold, Didi Davis, Will Ross, Paul Tuten	2010/09/29
45	2010/09/01	Input requests into the Resource and Collaboration Needs for Pilot Projects	Open	Entire WG	2010/09/17
46	2010/09/01	Discuss off-line collaboration opportunities between the MPS and MedAllies pilot projects	Open	Doug Arnold, Parag More	2010/09/08
56	2010/09/29	Insert questions into the Open Questions Tracker for Pilots	CLOSED	Greg Chittim	2010/10/06

Actions from Last Week

#	Date	Action	Status	Owner	Due Date
39	2010/08/25	Update the Technology Providers x Pilots Crosswalk	Open	Pilot Leads: Gary Christensen, Susan Torzewski, Will Ross	2010/09/01
41	2010/08/25	Update wiki page for each individual pilot project, including the user stories being tested	Open	Pilot Leads: Doug Arnold, Didi Davis, Will Ross, Paul Tuten	2010/09/29
45	2010/09/01	Input requests into the Resource and Collaboration Needs for Pilot Projects	Open	Entire WG	2010/09/17
46	2010/09/01	Discuss off-line collaboration opportunities between the MPS and MedAllies pilot projects	Open	Doug Arnold, Parag More	2010/09/08
54	2010/09/22	Coordinate a Reference Implementation WG update for the Geographies WG	CLOSED	Jas Singh	2010/09/28
55	2010/09/22	Insert pilot-related questions into the Open Questions Tracker for Pilots	CLOSED	Parag More, Will Ross	2010/09/24

Agenda

1. Review of actions from previous meeting
2. Pilot Updates
3. Reference Implementation Update
4. Code Integration Test-a-thon - Technical Reps for October 27 & 28
5. Open Discussion

Notes

Rhode Island Quality Institute
Gary Christensen

• Passed over to Greg Chittim

Greg Chittim

• Reported a successful working session yesterday
  • Number of representatives from all the partners were present
  • Spent half a day with them hammering out details
  • Developed an overall project/work-flow diagram
  • Addressed the open issues
    • Plan to post these to the Open Questions Tracker for Pilots
    • Individual partners will come up with a proposal and bring it to the appropriate bodies

Medical Professional Services (MPS)
Doug Arnold

• Reported that MPS continues to survey the partnering providers in their implementation geography
• Expressed concern with Quest/MedPlus about getting their pilot's HISP up-and-running
  • Will not be up until mid-January
• Stated MPS is talking to largest homecare organization in Connecticut
  • Indicated this could be a positive addition
  • Would be able to transmit lab information
• Indicated they are ultimately waiting for the reference implementations

MedAllies
Parag More

• Reported that MedAllies continues conversations with their:
  • Integration partners/Vendors
  • Participating provider groups
• Indicated that MedAllies cannot go public yet with the pilot sites
  • Waiting to finalize participation of the providers
  • Hopefully posted on the Wiki by next week

CareSpark
Didi Davis

• Recognized that they would be following up with Arien next week
• Reported holding good meetings with Tim Cromwell of the VA
  • Need to make sure the Direct Project code will eventually by part-and-parcel with the Connect code
• Stated that both the VA and CareSpark will be HISPs
  • Most of their partners are on board
  • Waiting to determine the providers for the pilot
    • Aiming for a provider in the area that:
      • Already has a legal agreement so they can involve CONNECT
      • Addresses the Mammography work-flow that is relevant to their operations
• Stated that this is only a demonstration pilot
  • Want the pilot live for the HIMSS Conference

Redwood MedNet
Will Ross

• Reported there were no major updates
  • Waiting for the freeing up of resources
• Indicated there was some progress with California stakeholders
  • Progress on the legal agreement area

VisionShare
Paul Tuten

• Reported holding productive meetings with state departments of health
  • Biggest problem was legal
  • Found a technical way around it
    • States are looking into the possibility of that option
    • Assuming that is good, a couple of states should be good for announcement next week
• Indicated that a lot of documentation will be published to the Wiki once this phase is completed
• Offered a CA role which VisionShare can make available to other pilots
  • Asked the pilots to tell them off-line
  • There would be no charge

Arien Malec

• Suggested Paul Tuten get in touch with Sean Nolan
  • Sean Nolan is working on the certificate authority issues for the best practices WG
  • Would be useful that they collaborate

Reference Implementation Update

Arien Malec

• Reported on the progress of each reference implementation
  • C-Sharp Side
    • Nearly feature complete
      • Whole SMTP side is really rich
      • XD* sides of the arcs are falling behind
  • Java Side
    • Implementation of SMTP is falling a little behind
      • Greg Meyer is back and work is picking up
    • Step-up, step-down XDR/XDM pieces are strong on the Java side
      • Not at a "de novo" ready state
      • Can do cross-walking if they have the capability already

David Tao

• Asked if they are not properly enabling someone to help create the XD* side arcs

Arien Malec

• Stated that the original conception was the client API
  • Right now they can do that end-to-end on the SMTP side
  • Not with the XDM packaging though
• Highlighted the step-up, step-down XDR/XDM
  • This is the linchpin

Paul Tuten

• Suggested going back through the list of pilots to determine their Reference Implementation needs

Needs from the Reference Implementation

Rhode Island Quality Institute
Gary Christensen

• Stated that RIQI needs the client APIs to the EHRs
  • Need the HISPs to react and do the messaging

Don Jorgenson

• Stated that Inpriva is looking at high-level transport "agnostic" API

MPS
Doug Arnold

• Echoed the comments of his neighbors from Rhode Island
  • Stuck in the mud until those decisions are made
• Could use more funding/resources to devote to this work
  • A little bit tough to find substantial funding
  • Asked if there was any spare change from the ONC
    • Arien Malec was noted

Arien Malec

• Responded that the best funding source are existing grants from HITECH for state-designated entities

Doug Arnold

• Indicated that he is working with the REC
  • Tough trying to squeeze resources out

Arien Malec

• Responded that the best way to tap into such funding sources is to:
  • Find any way to tie your pilot into the State HIE's existing work
• Will take some actions to help MPS

MedAllies
Parag More

• Indicated that MedAllies will be using the Java side's XDR/XDM step-up, step-down
• Added that MedAllies could use the SMTP side as well, but on the lower side of use-cases

CareSpark
Didi Davis

• Stated that she cannot speak on behalf of the VA
  • Discussions are underway
• Reported on the CareSpark capabilities
  • No issues with the data-sharing agreement
  • MobileMD has a portal
  • Will not need anything on the CareSpark side

Arien Malec

• Asked for confirmation that the VA's primary concern is CONNECT

Didi Davis

• Responded yes
  • The VA has been told that Direct would be in a future release of CONNECT
  • This the deal-breaker for the future

Redwood MedNet
Will Ross

• Reported that he had nothing to add
  • Primary issue is funding

VisionShare
Paul Tuten

• Reported VisionShare has no needs
  • Maybe from a Public Health perspective some capabilities

Summary
Arien Malec

• Summarized that the greatest need is the client-side API from the SMTP side
  • Nice to get the XD* side up in this API
  • Key thing is to get the client-side API done

October Setup-a-thon/Install-a-thon

Arien Malec

• Shared that the next face-to-face code-a-thon will be October 27-28
  • Will primarily be a setup-a-thon/install-a-thon
• Requested that a technical resource from each implementation geography attend
  • HISP
  • Integration partner
• Indicated the goal is to come out with a good plan for testing in the November time-frame

Doug Arnold

• Asked if this could be done virtually

Arien Malec

• Responded that it is better if everyone was there in person
  • During the CONNECT code-a-thon they learned this a great way
  • Pulling up a computer and just following along has a lot of merit
• Added that if a pilot can not be face-to-face:
  • At least try to sit in a conference room and stay available those days

Open Discussion

Paul Tuten

• Asked if there were any open issues

Sri Koka

• Raised a question for MedAllies
  • Did not see the XDR/XDM needs from them

Arien Malec

• Responded that the XD* specification is in good working condition
  • XD* Conversions for Direct Messaging
  • Open questions are there for the edges, not the core
• Addressed question about the upcoming election
  • ONC is supported by both sides of the aisle
  • Everyone should continue full steam ahead without being distracted by the elections