National eHealth Collaborative Announces NHIN University Fall 2010 Course Schedule

Online, September 23, 2010 (Newswire.com) - WASHINGTON, DC - National eHealth Collaborative (NeHC) today announced the course schedule for the Fall 2010 semester of NHIN University. The full list of classes is available on the NeHC website at www.nationalehealth.org/NHIN-U.

The NHIN University Fall 2010 semester will begin with a focus on Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) operation and oversight, offering classes on the new Standards and Interoperability Framework and current efforts to determine governance of the network. Closer to the holiday season, NHIN University will highlight the NHIN Direct project and Beacon Communities. A discussion of the NHIN Value Proposition will again close this five-class series.

"NeHC's ultimate goal is providing a collaborative forum for all stakeholders to be involved in realizing nationwide health information exchange. We see NHIN University as a key component to this effort by equipping our stakeholders with the information they need to help us move forward with the collaborative process," said Aaron Seib, NeHC Interim CEO.

NHIN University is a series of free webinars intended to provide stakeholders with knowledge about the Nationwide Health Information Network: what it is, how it works, and the vital trust fabric that underpins the safe and secure exchange of health information over the Internet. In its inaugural Spring 2010 semester, NHIN University provided instruction to 1,348 stakeholders representing 728 different organizations. A full list of the Spring 2010 students can be found on the NeHC website.

In recognition of their dedication to the program, students who completed all five classes earned a spot on the NHIN University Dean's List and students who completed four of five classes were awarded a spot on the NHIN University Honor Roll. These students were sent a certificate congratulating their attendance and were offered a sneak peek at the preliminary Fall 2010 semester schedule.

"We were delighted to see such a large number of stakeholders take advantage of NHIN University in its first semester and we hope to see them again in the Fall," said Laura Adams, Chair of the NeHC Board of Directors and President and CEO of Rhode Island Quality Institute. "For those on the ground in the states, working tirelessly to implement a shared vision of interoperable, safe and secure nationwide health information exchange, the instruction provided by NHIN University is invaluable."

The first course of the Fall semester will take place next Friday, October 1, 2010, at 12:00 noon ET. Professor Doug Fridsma, MD, PhD, Acting Director of the Office of Standards and Interoperability in the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC), will serve as faculty for this deep dive into the new Standards and Interoperability Framework. Significant time will be set aside for an interactive Q&A discussion with students participating in the class. Additional details on how to participate in this class are available on the NeHC website.

For more information about NHIN University or to register for the NHIN University Fall 2010 semester, please visit the NeHC website at www.nationalehealth.org/NHIN-U. All registered students will regularly receive updates on upcoming NHIN University classes and other events and information relevant to the nationwide network.