National Health IT Week 2011 Is Almost Here!

What’s on your calendar for the week of Sept. 12-16, 2011? I know what I’ll be doing: spreading the word about National Health IT Week 2011(NHIT Week) in my hometown of Norton, Mass.!

As you and I both know, comprehensive healthcare reform is not possible without system-wide adoption of health information technology, to improve quality healthcare delivery, increase patient safety, decrease medical errors and strengthen the interaction between patients and healthcare providers. That’s why we come together for one week each September for NHIT Week (now in its sixth year) and the chance to unite with other healthcare stakeholders under one banner, “One Voice. One Vision.”
                                                                                                                                                              As a partner-driven initiative and an independent week marked by individual events driven by organizations around the country, I explain National Health IT Week as being somewhat similar to Breast Cancer Awareness Month, where, in this case, a collective voice can raise awareness about the benefits of health information technology by holding celebrations in communities throughout the U.S.

When I talk to companies who have signed on as NHIT Week Partners this year, the one word I hear most often is “excited,” as in, “We are excited about joining the effort” or “We can’t be in D.C. this year for the National Health IT Week press conference on Capitol Hill or the HIMSS 10th Annual Policy Summit, but we’re excited about being mentioned as a partner and supporter.”

One gentleman wrote me to say, “We are excited to be taking a lead in promoting NHIT Week in North Georgia” and yet another partner told me, “We are excited to see how we might be able to assist in creating greater IT efficiency.”

Ready to lend your voice as a partner in National Health IT Week 2011? There’s no cost to join National Health IT Week 2011, and all partners must be corporate or affiliate members of HIMSS.

To get started, it’s easy. Just follow these steps:

Join

• Send only a logo + a brief (75 -100 words + company URL) company overview to get started
• Email these materials – or send questions, if you have further inquiries.
• Your information will be posted in about one week.

Participate

• The online toolkit is the place to start. It includes images, templates and ideas to get those creative juices flowing.
•  Forward samples of your creative use of the NHIT Week Toolkit for possible sharing on the website to partners and other stakeholders.

To learn more about how your organization can become involved in National Health IT Week 2011 by attending, sponsoring or exhibiting at a partner event, please visit the NHIT Week website  or send me an email at NHITWeek2011@gmail.com; I’d love to hear from you!

How will you be recognizing National Health IT Week 2011? Share your plans in the comments field below, or send me an email at NHITWeek2011@gmail.com - I will be glad to provide the information you need.