Newsletter
#23
MedBiquitous Consortium
Newsletter #23
18 October 2005
Published by the MedBiquitous Consortium
Contents:
- Standards in Action: Verifying Physician Certification Data
- Harmonizing Standards for a National Health Information Network
- Developing Reusable E-learning Content Using SCORM for Healthcare
- Content Syndication Guidelines Available
- Upcoming Events
- Working Groups Update
- Membership Update
1. Standards in Action: Verifying Physician Certification Data
Exciting progress for the MedBiquitous Healthcare Professional Profile! The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), an organization dedicated to establishing higher standards for safe, quality care by certified physician specialists, is now providing access to specialty board certification for Primary Source Verification (PSV) via Direct Connect Selectâ¢, a newly launched XML web service compliant with the MedBiquitous Healthcare Professional Profile standard. The standard provides a common format for exchanging individual contact, education, and certification information.
By incorporating this method for encoding certification data, ABMS has been able to speed the development of its information services and create professional partnerships to distribute certification data. ABMS Member Boards also use this standard when sending their certification data to the ABMS database. State-based emergency preparedness organizations are incorporating products using this capability in their response systems. And in the national arena, the Department of Health and Human Services has used the ABMS credentials verification service to support emergency verification of volunteers for recent hurricane disaster relief efforts. For more information, visit www.abms.org.
2. Harmonizing Standards for a National Health Information Network
MedBiquitous is pleased to be participating in the American National Standards Institute's Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel, the organization tasked with harmonizing standards for the National Health Information Network. The National Health Information Network would enable providers to access patient data and support a number of patient safety and quality improvements. MedBiquitous standards could play a key role in integrating patient education and provider education with existing clinical systems. For more information on the panel, visit: http://www.ansi.org/news_publications/news_story.aspx?menuid=7&articleid=1054
3. Developing Reusable E-learning Content Using SCORM for Healthcare
Many healthcare educators are interested in developing e-learning content for their organization in a cost-effective and efficient manner. This workshop introduces participants to SCORM and e-learning standards, explaining where these technologies are best applied and the benefits of their use. The workshop takes place in Chicago, November 16, 2005, 1-5 PM. MedBiquitous thanks the American Medical Association for hosting this event. Spaces are filling quickly, so register today! Visit http://www.medbiq.org/resources/scorm_workshop/description.html for more information, or go to http://www.regonline.com/Checkin.asp?EventId=83747 to register.
4. Content Syndication Guidelines Available
RSS Content Syndication Guidelines are now available! Created by the MedBiquitous Journal Working Group and Technical Steering Committee, the guidelines provide recommendations for those wishing to use Really Simple Syndication (RSS) for creating Internet-based content feeds and podcasts. RSS provides an easy way to keep your Web community apprised of new content and other developments. Download the guidelines at: http://www.medbiq.org/technology/tech_architecture/rssguidelines.pdf
5. Upcoming Events
Look for presentations on the work of MedBiquitous and innovations in healthcare education at the following upcoming conferences and events.
- Dr. Bill Hersh will present a poster entitled A Standards-based Approach for Facilitating Discovery of Learning Objects at the Point of Care at the American Medical Informatics Association Annual Symposium, October 24, 2005. For more information, see: http://www.amia.org/meetings/f05/
- Several members of the MedBiquitous Virtual Patients Working Group are participating in a Virtual Patients panel discussion at the Association of American Medical Colleges Annual Meeting, November 7, 2005. For more information, see: http://www.aamc.org/meetings/annual/2005/start.htm
- Drs. Peter Greene and Bill Hersh are both participating in the The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine's Second Annual Conference on Information Technology at the Clinical Interface, November 13-15, 2005. Dr. Hersh will present Accessing Information at the Point of Care: Impact and Challenges, and Dr. Greene will provide conference commentary. For more information, see http://www.poc-it.org/05conf/
6. Working Groups Update
All six MedBiquitous working groups continue to meet regularly and make progress on the development of specifications and guidelines to advance healthcare education and competence assessment. The Learning Objects Working Group will meet during the American Medical Association's National Task Force on CME Provider/Industry Collaboration October 26. The Virtual Patients Working Group will meet during the Association of American Medical Colleges Annual Meeting November 7. In addition, the following working group teleconferences are scheduled.
- October 20, Metrics Working Group
- October 27, Journal Working Group
- November 1, Activity Report Working Group
- November 3, Virtual Patient Working Group
We welcome member participation! If you are interested in participating in a working group, please contact info@medbiq.org.
7. Membership Update
MedBiquitous is pleased to welcome the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) and Knowledge Management Solutions, Inc. (KMSI) as members of the consortium. AMIA is the premier organization in the United States dedicated to the development and application of medical informatics in the support of patient care, teaching, research, and health care administration. KMSI provides technologies and services for fully integrated e-learning content development, learning management, performance management, learning content management and virtual classroom technologies. For more information on AMIA, see http://www.amia.org/. For more information on KMSI, see http://www.kmsi.us/.
