Health information groups AHIMA, AMIA unite on IT policy

Two groups, the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA), have joined forces on a common public policy agenda regarding the advancement of health IT, according to a joint release.

"The members of our associations share the same vision and goals of an interconnected healthcare system and a deep understanding of the clinical and administrative work that is needed to get there," says AHIMA CEO Linda Kloss, MA, RHIA.

AHIMA and AMIA advocate for policy that advances technology to transform health care for "greater safety, better outcomes, efficiency, and effectiveness," the organizations said. A number of other related areas of joint interest for the groups include health information workforce issues, standards, and privacy and security of personal health information.

According to the organization, collaboration will be as follows:

• Maintaining a common agenda for public policy priorities;
• Preparing and issuing joint position statements;
• Sponsoring events such as briefing sessions, visits to Congress or to members of the administration; and
• Sharing information among the 55,000 members of the two organizations.

Both organizations will appoint four representatives to sit on a joint public policy committee responsible for determining key strategic issues to be addressed in 2006.