February 2008 | Center for Health Transformation

Center for Health Transformation

	Member Newsletter February 2008 Only two months into it, 2008 has already proven to be an exciting year for the Center for Health Transformation. With all that’s going on, this month’s e-newsletter is focused on bringing you up to date on some of the top activities and events so far this year. The Center for Health Transformation in 2008 1. Newt’s latest book Real Change has been on the New York Times Top Ten best-seller list for 5 weeks in a row, the last three as #3 on the non-fiction list. The book’s chapter on health transformation, co-written by The Center’s CEO Nancy Desmond, has been a vital part of the book’s success and has helped us to dramatically spread the word about health transformation throughout the country. Nancy will be doing a series of radio interviews this week to further promote our vision of a 21st Century Intelligent Health System that saves lives and saves money. back to top 2. Speaking of books, the CHT Press book Paper Kills, edited by Project Director David Merritt, was named co-winner of the HIMSS 2008 Book of the Year award at their annual convention last week. We are grateful to the members of The Center who contributed chapters to the book and to former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, whose reference to the book in his opening keynote generated enough enthusiasm that we had to send two additional shipments of the book for sale at the conference. Meanwhile, Senator Frist is using the book in his class at Princeton University and has invited Newt and The Center team to the campus on April 2nd to address the students. back to top 3. Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt is on a tour of the nation to discuss investments in IT for small physician practices. One of his first stops was in Atlanta, where he had a small roundtable discussion with Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue, U.S. Congressman Phil Gingrey, Georgia Commissioner of the Department of Community Health Rhonda Medows, and CEO Nancy Desmond, as well as several other Georgia health leaders. The roundtable was held before a public audience in conjunction with the Georgia HIT and Transparency Board, of which Georgia Project Director Laura Linn is an ad hoc member. back to top 4. The Center’s Georgia Project, under Laura Linn’s leadership, continues to lead health transformation in Georgia. Recently, The Center hosted a series of discussions, facilitated by CHT Fellow Ron Bachman, with key leaders in Georgia to discuss the issue of the uninsured. The sessions were central to the introduction of legislation to help expand coverage to the working poor, with more initiatives to follow, the ultimate goal being the expansion of market-based coverage to 100% of the uninsured. back to top 5. The impact of our Missouri Project continues to grow. Project Director Julie Eckstein, who has built an incredible collaboration of leaders there, reports that new legislation was introduced by State Senator Tom Dempsey in the Missouri Senate on Thursday, February 28th titled the Missouri Health Transformation Act of 2008. The bill, described as “big, bold and comprehensive” gained immediate bipartisan support with 4 colleagues signing on to the bill as it was filed. The bill demonstrates the opportunity for real change to improve individual health, create policy for healthier communities, increase the effective and efficient delivery of health services and make strides to ensure coverage for all Missourians. back to top 6. Our Alzheimer’s Study Group, under the direction of Executive Director and CHT Project Director Robert Egge, continues to attract national attention. With Newt and former U.S. Senator Bob Kerrey as co-chairs, the Alzheimer’s Study Group has brought together an impressive cadre of high profile leaders, including retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and Former U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher. Look for some exciting news about an upcoming event related to this challenging and important project. back to top 7. We predict that 2008 will be the year for e-prescribing, which continues to be a major push for The Center, under the leadership of Wayne Oliver. This week Newt will be hosting the SureScripts Safe-Rx Awards in Washington, announcing the top ten states in terms of adopting electronic prescribing. back to top 8. Microsoft announced last week that they will be establishing a Well Around the World Fund to help fund “fellow pioneers dedicated to achieving transformative impact.” We look forward to sharing with our members more information about opportunities related to this project and to the Microsoft® HealthVault™ in June, when our quarterly member meeting will be hosted at Microsoft in Seattle back to top 9. Medicaid Transformation continues to be a primary focus of our State efforts, with The Center’s State Project Director Jim Frogue speaking about it at the James Madison Institute and authoring an Op-ed for the Florida Times Union titled “Florida Medicaid Reform Under Siege.” back to top 10. We have recently added a great deal of exciting content to our website. Please visit www.healthtransformation.net to review our latest white papers, op-eds and videos, including our latest white paper, which focuses on telephonic medical consults. back to top		CHT in the News February 29, 2008 Premier Healthcare Alliance Experts Pen Chapter in Book Honored by HIMSS as 2007 Book of the Year - Business Wire Read More February 28, 2008 Center for Health Transformation Releases White Paper on Value of Telemedicine and the Role of Telephonic Medical Consults Read More February 28, 2008 Breakfast with Newt: talking about health and information technology - Health Populi Read More February 27, 2008 Zix Corporation Continues e-Prescribing Leadership with Latest Version of PocketScript(R) - The Earth Times Read More February 26, 2008 Rule Shifts Would Let States Rework Medicaid Plans and Charge Patients More - Medpage Today Read More February 26, 2008 Governors, Members of Congress to Find Out Where Their States Rank in Electronic Prescription Use - The Earth Times Read More February 26, 2008 D2Hawkeye to Present at the Center For Health Transformation Member Meeting - Business Wire Read More February 25, 2008 Merritt Wins Book Award from HIMSS Read More February 22, 2008 A Future of 100% Healthcare Coverage Predicted in Gingrich Best-Seller Read More February 22, 2008 A Mandate in the Making? - Healthcare Informatics Read More February 21, 2008 Insurance for the working poor: Practical proposals are a powerful step in the right direction Read More February 21, 2008 CHT CEO Participates In Roundtable With Secretary Leavitt - Medical News Today Read More February 20, 2008 CHT CEO Participates in Roundtable with Secretary Leavitt Read More February 15, 2008 Healthcare and the Economic Slowdown: Medicaid, State Revenues and Federal Spending Plans - Kaiser Network Read More February 15, 2008 A National Health IT Policy Proves Elusive - H&HN Read More February 15, 2008 Interview: Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and Founder, Center for Health Transformation - WebMD Read More February 14, 2008 GSK Launches New Website to Help Employers Lower Costs and Improve the Health of Workers - GlaxoSmithKline Read More February 14, 2008 Former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, to Meet with Fans at Maui Borders Book Signing - Hawaii Reporter Read More February 13, 2008 An Interview with Julie Eckstein - Director of the Missouri Project. - AIM CapitolCast Read More February 12, 2008 Newt Gingrich set for Maui book signing - The Honolulu Advertiser Read More February 11, 2008 InterComponentWare Inc. Aligns with the Center for Health Transformation - Individual.com Read More February 11, 2008 Gingrich Experts to Talk about Real Change - CR Newswire Read More February 8, 2008 Think-tank forum weighs merits of health-care solutions - Tallahassee Democrat Read More February 7, 2008 Center Project Director Jim Frogue speaks at JMI Health Care Forum Read More February 7, 2008 Health-care forum explores prospects for innovation - Tallahassee Democrat Read More February 6, 2008 Florida Medicaid reform under siege Read More February 1, 2008 Not Quite Fight Night - The Hotline (subscription required) Read More Events March 4, 2008 • Washington, DC Center Founder Newt Gingrich speaks at press conference on SafeRx Awards March 6-8, 2008 • Orlando, FL CHT Member Meeting in conjunction with the AMGA Annual Conference March 14, 2008 • Rockville, MD Center Project Director Rob Egge to speak at AD Ally/FDA Scientific Workshop

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