Healthcare Changes Create New IT Channel Opportunities

The raging debate on healthcare in the United States set the stage for another momentous event this week; a conference call with members of the CompTIA Healthcare IT Community. No matter which side of the discussion you subscribe to, I think it’s safe to say a momentous change in our healthcare system will occur over the next few years - including mass deployment of new technology solutions. With Federal stimulus programs already in place to implement a national electronic health records (EHR) system, the new group will focus on developing resources and training to help solution providers meet the needs of this market, professionally.

The Healthcare IT Community is chaired by Patrick Wilson, President of Vital Signs Technology, a California-based provider of technology support for the medical profession. Along with Wilson, the group includes members from across the country with either an expertise or an interest in the developing healthcare IT solutions and services.

Research on the topic and players is a fundamental step in any project and CompTIA has done the basics already with its 2009 report, The Health Care Market: Insights and Opportunities, which confirmed that the market offers significant potential for IT providers. During today’s meeting, the members discussed the information that would be most advantageous to collect in the 2010 survey, which is in the planning stages.

The research team is interested in understanding and finding places where the IT channel and the medical industry are disconnected, and information that allows solution providers to increase their level of support to healthcare. The group hopes the research will gauge the industry response to all the changes, and guide them in the creation of best practices. Is regulation speeding up adoption of EHR? The 2010 CompTIA healthcare survey may provide some valuable insight into that question, along with quite a few more. The group meetings are a great forum for the CompTIA research team to collect ideas and validate their processes, resulting in increased relevance to the reseller community.

Today’s discussion also included an update of upcoming resources for healthcare IT providers, with a new video on demand (VOD) series to be available soon in the CompTIA Member Resource Center. These pre-recorded online sessions will be available whenever it’s convenient for you, and the initial group will include essential healthcare IT topics, with advanced subjects introduced over the coming months.  The first group will include: The Fundamentals of Healthcare - A Primer for Solution Providers; The Unique Needs of a Healthcare Practice; HIT Regulatory Compliance;  and Becoming HIT Savvy in 90 Days - HIPAA Security Plan.

In addition to the VOD series, CompTIA will release a new whitepaper this week in its Member Resource Center. The article will be located in the “Hot Topics” section of the portal and is titled “HIT and the Stimulus.”  This whitepaper provides a comprehensive view of the healthcare EMR opportunity for providers, including details on funding and implementation. You must be an association member to access this part of the website, but the resources available (not to mention the other CompTIA benefits) make it well worth the investment.

The Healthcare IT Community is also investigating additional solution provider training resources, such as local colleges and training academies. The complexity of the healthcare programs has many solution providers struggling to understand the opportunities available, so the group will help clarify the issue with easily accessible information. This will start with the creation of a list of healthcare terms, acronyms and definitions that providers need to know. Some of the information may be available from other organizations or websites, so developing a partner relationship may be an option to eliminate duplication of efforts.

The group also looks to build a blueprint for healthcare clients, with best practice solutions architecture details for EHR and other technology solutions. It’s still early in the discussions, but creating options for providers and clients could help move the process along faster.

The Healthcare IT Community plans to hold conference call meetings on the 3^rd Wednesday of each month, with the next gathering tentatively scheduled for April 21^st. If you are interested in joining the healthcare technology discussions, let us know!