Health information technology improves the quality of healthcare delivery, increases patient safety, decreases medical errors, and strengthens the interaction between patients and healthcare providers.
To mark the important role health information technology plays in improving healthcare delivery in America, HIMSS Oregon and others across the U.S. have joined together to celebrate National Health Information Technology (NHIT) Week, September 10-14, 2012.

With the NHIT Week theme: One Voice, One Vision: Transforming Health and Care, HIMSS Oregon will hold a Tech Talk entitled “Coordinated Care Organizations ~ Where Oregon is Now” which will take place Thursday September 13th, 5:00pm - 9:00pm at OHSU’s BICC Building in the Gallery, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd., Portland, OR 97239.

“Our participation in National Health IT Week highlights our organization’s commitment to ensure health information technology is integrated, interactive, interoperable, and intelligent to provide the best patient outcomes, said Mark Fromuth, HIMSS Oregon Chapter President. “By working together we can leverage the technology to promote for the betterment of our healthcare system.”

The event on September 13th will bring HIT practitioners together to discuss where Oregon is headed with health care IT, and will officially be conducted as a part of HIMSS’ National Health IT Week. The briefing is open to the public.

Cost: $15.00 for HIMSS members and Students; $25.00 for non-members.

Drinks and Appetizers will be provided while a panel of CCO specialists interact and share Oregon’s developments and progress.

To register: Please visit the website.

Credentialed media representatives please RSVP to Raina McSherry, raina.mcsherry@himss-oregon.org, 503-970-9105.  For additional information about National Health IT Week, visit www.healthitweek.org .

About HIMSS Oregon
The Oregon Chapter of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society is a professional organization dedicated to the development of healthcare information technology professionals throughout the state Oregon and southwest Washington. Our mission is to bring healthcare professionals together with their clinical and business partners in educational settings to explore issues of common concern, network with peers, and grow professionally by sharing knowledge and experience and by learning about new tools, methods and technologies.

About National Health Information Technology Week
Now in its seventh year, National Health IT Week is a collaborative forum assembling key healthcare constituents—vendors, provider organizations, payers, pharmaceutical/biotech companies, government agencies, industry/professional associations, research foundations, and consumer protection groups— working together to elevate national attention to the necessity of advancing health IT. Log onto www.healthitweek.org  for more information.

Brian Ahier works as Health IT Evangelist for Information Systems at Mid-Columbia Medical Center. He is a City Councilor in The Dalles, Oregon and also serves on the Board of Mid-Columbia Council of Government, and Q-Life, an intergovernmental agency providing broadband capacity to the area. He blogs regularly at Healthcare Technology & Government 2.0.