Health IT Workforce Development Programs

Chitra Mohla, M. Sc.Director, Workforce ProgramsOffice of Provider Adoption Support (OPAS)July 31, 2012

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ONC Health IT Workforce Training

Community College ConsortiaBELLEVUE COLLEGEBELLEVUE, WA

CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGECLEVELAND, OHIO

LOS RIOS COMMUNITY COLLEGESACRAMENTO, CA

PITT COMMUNITY COLLEGE, WINTERVILLE, NC

TIDEWATER COMMUNITY COLLEGENORFOLK, VA

5 Consortia82 member colleges

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Six Train in g R o les

Six Training Roles• Practice Workflow

Redesign• Clinician Practitioner• Implementation Support

Specialist• Implementation Manager• Technical Software

Support Specialist• Trainer

Key Competencies

• Conducting user requirements analysis to facilitate workflow design and develop models that support meaningful use for the health care organization

• Working with staff to implement the EHR workflow and resolve problems within the information management model

• Ensuring backup plans are in place in case of EHR failure

• Installing and maintaining EHR systems and software upgrades, and providing support in a traditional help desk model

• Supporting systems security and standards, and evaluating communication processes

• Interacting with vendors and other sources of information to find solutions to users’ questions, technical problems or support of meaningful use criteria

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Community College Consortia are Working to Fillthe Workforce Shortage for Health IT

Currently Enrolled

Graduates

5,712

13,779

Student Stats•Average age : 44•75% with 6 years of Health experience•73% with 6 + years of IT experience

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Curriculum Development Centers Program

• Cooperative agreements to 5 universities to support health IT curriculum development that started in April 2010 and is slated to finish at the end of 2012– Duke University– Columbia University– Johns Hopkins University– Oregon Health & Science University– University of Alabama Birmingham

• Awardees have each developed 4 curriculum components each and collectively address 20 content areas

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Curriculum Components – Primary Audience Educators not Students Curriculum consists of components supporting instruction in 20 content areas:

– Introduction to Health Care and Public Health in the U.S.– The Culture of Health Care– Terminology in Health Care and Public Health Settings– Introduction to Information and Computer Science– History of Health Information Technology in the U.S.– Health Management Information Systems– Working with Health IT Systems*– Installation and Maintenance of Health IT Systems*– Networking and Health Information Exchange– Fundamentals of Health Workflow Process Analysis & Redesign– Configuring EHRs*– Quality Improvement– Public Health IT– Special Topics Course on Vendor-Specific Systems– Usability and Human Factors– Professionalism/Customer Service in the Health Environment– Working in Teams– Planning, Management and Leadership for Health IT– Introduction to Project Management– Training and Instructional Design

*lab component

University Based Training

HIT Workforce training grant program (April 2010-July 2013)

9 leading institutions were funded to train professionals at post-baccalaureate certificate to Master’s level over 1-2 years.

– *Texas State U. (UT Austin; UT School of Biomedical Informatics Houston)– George Washington University– *University of Minnesota (UM Crookston; College of St. Scholastica)– *Columbia University (Cornell U.)– Johns Hopkins University– Oregon Health & Sciences University– University of Colorado Denver, School of Nursing– *Duke University (UNC)– Indiana University

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University Based Training Roles

• Clinician or Public Health Leader• Health Information Management & Exchange

Specialist• Health Information Privacy and Security

Specialist• Research and Development Scientist• Programmers and Software Engineers• Health IT Sub-Specialist

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University Based Training - Statistics

1438 Graduated

646 Currently enrolled

Student Stats

•Highly educated and mid-career professionals wanting to move into the Health IT field

• Training is at post-baccalaureate certificate to Master’s level over 1-2 years

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Competency Exams

• Cooperative Agreement Awarded to Northern Virginia Community College

• Competency exams for the six roles that Community College and Curriculum Development Centers are addressing

• Tests for Individuals Completing Non-Degree Training

• First ~ 27,500 examinees take exam free of charge

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Lessons Learned

• Evolving market place• Training needed for all health care providers• Broad band issues for rural areas• Hands on experience with vendor products• Need for internship opportunities• Soft skills – working in teams• Career pathway – stackable credentials• Articulation agreements with Universities• Availability of Faculty

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For more information

For More Information

Health IT.Gov : www.healthit.gov

Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT : http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt/community/healthit_hhs_gov__home/1204

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