Health IT standards and interoperability organization Health Level Seven International has launched a set of expanded membership offerings that include services to make standards implementation and interoperability challenges easier.

In addition to existing benefits, new membership services include a professionally supported Help Desk; free members-only webinars; discounts on training -- including some free training for high-level memberships -- and user groups for peer learning and collaboration with other leaders in healthcare IT.

Also, newly published standards are immediately available to members, while non-members must wait 90 days. HL7 is also planning policy-related initiatives for member services.

[See also: HL7 sharpens focus on clinical quality.]

HL7, with members in 55 countries, is exploring additional future member and stakeholder benefits, including expanded tools and conformance testing.

“These new benefits are the result of extensive dialogue aimed at understanding our members’ business challenges and how HL7 can provide tangible value to their organizations,” HL7 CEO Charles Jaffe, MD, said in a news release. “We will continue to expand our offerings with resources designed to make implementation easier and more effective.”

The launch of the new benefits and services help to realize the vision behind the organization’s April 2013 release of intellectual property as freely available under licensing terms.

[See also: HL7 standards, IP now at no cost.]

“Supported by our members, HL7’s goal is to transform healthcare by making our framework easier to adopt, implement, and use,” Jaffe said. “By helping to make healthcare information seamless and ubiquitous, we are working to increase human health and wellness on a global scale.”

Progress towards this goal is already evident, Jaffe noted. Since April, HL7 standards have been downloaded more than 27,000 times. Through its revamped IP approach and new member offerings, HL7 is aiming to expand its reach through fruitful partnerships in both the developed and developing world.

HL7 is hosting a free webinar on Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 2 pm ET to answer questions about the new membership services.