What is a Use Case or Scenario?
HIMSS Interoperability Showcases feature use cases [or scenarios as referenced in the past] to illustrate the advancements in health IT throughout the Live and Connected Demonstrations areas in the Showcase. Each use case describes a patient storyline, their medical needs and demonstrates the benefits of implementing interoperable standard-based systems that allow patient data to be shared across multiple care settings, doctors, and geographic regions to improve patient care.
What is the Connected Demonstration Area?
The Connected Demonstration area consists of over 70+ connected vendor systems that are working together to demonstrate how to implement and use interoperable standards-based applications. Participants in the Connected Demonstration are limited to Leadership and Implementer Level Showcase Participants only. Demonstrations in this area will be divided into two categories:
1. Live Demonstrations at Clinical Deployment Sites
2. Communities of Care
What are Communities of Care?
New this year at the HIMSS11 Interoperability Showcase healthcare settings will be organized into Communities of Care inside the Connected Demonstration area. The Community of Care represents a “team” of health-related services and facilities providing healthcare to patients in a specific community. Communities of Care will simulate the same interactions patients have with their healthcare providers in their local community and will highlight use cases and standards implemented today in clinical care settings world-wide.
What is the Live Demonstration at Clinical Deployment Sites?
The Live Demonstration at Clinical Deployment Sites will showcase several U.S. hospitals and clinical care settings which actively deploy interoperable solutions utilizing IHE and/or ONC-recognized standards. Participation in the Live Clinical Demonstrations is by invitation only. Live Demonstrations will be held in their own theater and will feature speakers from the participating hospital and on-site deployment team. Live Demonstration participants will be featured in various high profile Conference media including the HIMSS Daily Insider, HIMSS Podcasting and other and HIMSS marketing and promotional activity.
What is an IHE Connectathon?
IHE- Integrating the Healthcare provides a detailed implementation and testing process to promote the adoption of standards-based interoperability by vendors and users of healthcare information systems. Product vendors find IHE Connectathon participation invaluable to their test development cycles as well as preparing them by testing and validating the readiness of vendor products to participate in live demonstrations such as the HIMSS Interoperability Showcases.
Does my Company have to participate in the IHE North American Connectathon 2011?
All participants in the HIMSS11 Connected Demonstration (Leadership & Implementer only) must also participate and pass required testing in the IHE North American Connectathon 2011 to be held January 17-21, 2011 in Chicago, IL. IHE Connectathons are a weeklong interoperability-testing event held annually in locations worldwide. Registration for the IHE N.A. Connectathon coincides with the HIMSS11 Interoperability Showcase- August 16, 2010 – October 8, 2010. Register online for the IHE Connectathon.
Why are Connectathon Payments being sent to HIMSS this year?
Since the incorporation of IHE USA on July 1, 2010, all financial payments will be processed and handled by the secretariat of IHE USA- HIMSS. Payments can be sent directly to HIMSS Accounts Receivables using the address listed below. Connectathon payments will no longer be paid to RSNA, secretariat of IHE International, because the North American Connectathon will now be considered an IHE USA event moving forward.
HIMSS Finance Department
6923 Eagles Way,
Chicago, IL 60678-1692
Email: Financesupport@himss.org
Phone: +1-312-915-9262
What are the Showcase Planning Webinars?
Is participation mandatory on the Showcase Planning Webinars?
To help ensure all participants and systems are ready prior to the Showcase event, the HIMSS Showcase team will be conducting a series of five Showcase Planning Webinars that will be held monthly from October 2010 to February 2011. Final dates and times will be published in the HIMSS11 Showcase Participant guidelines in September 2010. The Planning Webinars will cover general information relevant to all participants including both marketing & technical staff at your organization. They will serve as “check-points” to ensure all participants are up-to-date with their Showcase deliverables and obligations. We highly recommend that both a marketing and technical staff attend these meetings. Participation on the monthly Planning Webinars is mandatory. The Showcase team will be present on all calls and attendance will be recorded.
What is Virtual Showcase Testing (VST)?
Is attendance mandatory during Virtual Showcase Testing?
Showcase participants in the Connected Demonstration (Leadership & Implementer only) are required to participate in pre-Showcase Virtual Testing to prepare for better connectivity and set-up on-site at the Showcase. All VST is conducted over WebEx web conferencing. Please prepare your technical staff to begin testing during the week immediately following the IHE N.A. Connectathon 2011. The testing sessions will span the dates of January 24 - February 11, 2011. Final dates and times will be published in the HIMSS11 Showcase Participant guidelines the week of September 2010. The testing sessions will be organized around specific Showcase use cases. Connected Demonstration participants are required to attend these meetings and successfully pass system tests. Attendance will be taken and organizations that fail to participate are subject to exclusion from those Showcase use cases.
Our organization has a booth on the main HIMSS Conference Exhibit floor in addition to the HIMSS Interoperability Showcase station do we need separate staff for each event?
Yes. To ensure full coverage for both the HIMSS exhibit floor and Showcase station, please refer to the schedule listed on page four of this document to coordinate staff resources. Please note that the Interoperability Showcase hours do not run the same schedule as the HIMSS11 general exhibit booth floor. The full detailed schedule will be posted on-line the week of September 2010 in the Participant Guidelines.
How do I plan accordingly to staff the Interoperability Showcase Connected Demonstration stations at the HIMSS Annual Conference?
Each Showcase participant is required to have their Showcase stations(s) staffed at all times. Special VIP tours are often scheduled before and after normal HIMSS exhibition hours and during lunch breaks. This allows for staff to leave the Showcase station for regular breaks. If a Showcase station is not staffed, a participant will miss being included on HIMSS11 Attendee and VIP Tours. Not only is this a negative event for the participating organization, it also negatively impacts their interoperability partners because a missing participant can impact one or more connected use cases.
Why do the dates for the HIMSS Interoperability Showcase & HIMSS Annual Conference and Exhibition differ?
Due to the high demand from attendees to visit, the HIMSS Interoperability Showcase has been given the opportunity to extend its’ demonstration for an additional day on February 24, 2011 after the regular HIMSS Conference Exhibit floor closes. Please refer to page four of this document for detailed dates and a schedule.
What is the Booth number for the HIMSS Interoperability Showcase?
The HIMSS11 Interoperability Showcase is located in Exhibit Hall E, Booth #7343 at the Orange County Convention Center. Please direct all Conference attendees and participant shipments to Hall E, Booth #7343 in the Convention Center.
What is an IHE Connectathon?
IHE- Integrating the Healthcare provides a detailed implementation and testing process called a Connectathon to promote the adoption of standards-based interoperability by vendors and users of healthcare information systems. Product vendors find IHE Connectathon participation invaluable to their test development cycles as well as preparing them by testing and validating the readiness of vendor products to participate in live demonstrations such as the HIMSS Interoperability Showcases. IHE Connectathons are conducted on an annual basis in countries and regions all over the globe for more information visit the IHE website.
Does my Company have to be an IHE Member to participate in the HIMSS Showcase(s) or IHE Connectathon(s)?
IHE membership is free, but is not mandatory. We do recommend IHE membership because it provides many benefits including:
IHE members help in the development of the IHE Technical Frameworks and Profiles and have a competitive advantage when moving interoperable systems to market. Visit IHE website for more information or to complete our online application. Listen to our webinar recording or view the presentation slides from our recent webinar, Benefits of IHE Membership, to learn how your organization can become active in IHE.
Is participation at the IHE N.A. Connectathon mandatory for all Showcase Participants?
Attendance and successful demonstration of interoperable systems is required for all participants participating in the Connected Demonstration area at the HIMSS Interoperability Showcase which typically includes most Leadership and Implementer participants. If you have any questions please email interoperabilityshowcase@himss.org.
Who is IHE USA and what is their relationship to the IHE N.A. Connectathon?
IHE USA is a new legal entity effective July 1, 2010. It is a not-for-profit organization founded by HIMSS & RSNA which serves as a regional deployment committee of IHE International® for the United States. IHE USA is responsible for promoting the appropriate use of IHE Technical Framework specifications within the U.S. and represents the interoperability needs and requirements of the U.S. healthcare system. With the primary goal of effective US deployment, the IHE N.A. Connectathon will now be managed by IHE USA. All management of the IHE Connectathon are supported and shared by the staff at HIMSS & RSNA.
Please explain the new HIMSS Showcase Participant Use Case Selection Process.
The HIMSS Showcase team is launching a new model where the majority of the HIMSS11 Showcase use cases are identified at the time of registration providing participants an increased level of choice. HIMSS11 Interoperability Showcase participants are now able to review and choose to register for the specific use cases that match their interoperability commitment, business goals, and health IT product offerings. The new model has been developed to better manage the number of specific instances and optimize HIMSS11 Attendee tour distribution. View the current listing of the HIMSS Interoperability Showcase use cases online and begin preparing your top three selections for online Showcase registration.
How do I learn more about the use cases to be demonstrated at the HIMSS Interoperability Showcase?
To learn more about the proposed use cases, IHE Profiles and Technical Frameworks please refer to the IHE 2010 Educational Webinar Series (June 8 – September 2, 2010) or the IHE 2010 Educational Webinar Series archives to play past presentations and view speaker slide decks. Each domain gives a thorough overview of the most current IHE profiles and technical frameworks developed in the current year and are ready for testing at in the IHE N.A. Connectathon 2011. Please note: Profiles and technical frameworks developed before 2010 will not be discussed in length on the 2010 Educational Webinar Series. Please refer to the IHE 2008 & 2009 Educational Webinars Series archives for work developed before 2010.
How do I determine my top three Use Case preferences?
Please follow the steps outlined below.
Will additional Use Cases be added in the future?
Yes. The HIMSS Showcase team has determined the majority of the final HIMSS11 Showcase Use Cases for this year. However, a small number of additional use cases will be added in the future to accommodate the changing environment of health IT and the U.S. National health IT initiatives. Vendor participants and the use case roles will be aligned accordingly with your organizations top three preferences. If you have any additional questions please contact the Showcase team at Interoperabilityshowcase@himss.org.
Will my organization demonstrate the top three Use Case identified at time of Registration?
When will the final list of Showcase Use Case Roles be announced?
The Showcase team will make every effort to match each participant with their top choices identified at the time of registration. Participation in specific use cases will be confirmed in mid-October after Showcase registration has closed.
Commonly Used Informational Links:
Technical Framework Development:
IHE Public Comment Forums:
If you need additional help or to answer your specific questions, please send your emails to secretary@ihe.net.