Wyoming Health Information Organization

							            Wyoming Health Information Organization
                        Board of Directors
                     Teleconference Meeting Minutes
                                  March 7, 2007

 I. Call to order
         Dr. Geoff Smith, Board Chairman called the teleconference meeting to
         order at 7:02 AM on March 7, 2007.

II. Roll call
         The following members and staff were present:

        Board Members: Geoffrey Smith, Dana Barnett, Jerry Calkins, Steve
        Chasson, Leland Clabots, Karen Dobson, Carol Jenkins, Anne Larsen,
        Dan Lex, Larry Madsen.

        Staff: Larry Biggio, Kathy Tacke

        Absent: Howard Willson, Beth Worthen


III. Approval of minutes from last meeting
         Steve Chasson moved to accept the minutes from the teleconference
         meeting of December 20, 2006 and the motion was carried unanimously.


IV. Treasurer’s Report
        Larry Madsen indicated the WyHIO had a balance of $7991.20 at the end
        of 2006, and had paid another $2,000.00 in bills since that point. The
        current balance is $5,991.20

V. Open issues
      a) Review of HRSA Grant Activities – Larry Biggio
          Larry Biggio presented a recap of the original goals specified in our
          HRSA grant application and the activities to date to meet those goals.
          The grant extension requested earlier this year has been approved, but
          the change of administrative responsibility from the Memorial Hospital
          of Sweetwater County was denied. There was no federal response on
          the budget amendment, and Larry will follow-up.

        b) FCC Rural Healthcare Pilot Program – Larry Biggio
           Larry reviewed the purpose of the grant, the members of the coalition,
           activities to date, and the need for a 15% hard match.



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    The board then discussed how this project would fit with the goals and
    projects approved in the strategic plan. This led to further discussion
    of the need for a direction in fund raising efforts, and how those efforts
    would compliment the WyHIO’s overall direction. The board agreed to
    have that discussion at the next board meeting to be scheduled for
    May or June as a face-to-face meeting. The board also discussed
    how the FCC grant might fit with the proposed pilot project with the
    American College of Radiology – see later discussion.

    Carol Jenkins moved, and Steve Chasson seconded, that the board
    continue activities to apply for the FCC grant and make that part of the
    WyHIO’s direction. The motion was approved unanimously.

c) HB0320 – Larry Biggio
   Larry covered the history and course of HB0320 through the recent
   legislative session. The bill, which would have provided funds for a
   pilot EHR program, passed the House but failed to move out of the
   Senate.

    The board discussed reasons for the bill’s failure, and how to approach
    the topic next session. Ideas for improvement were inclusion of the
    hospitals in future funding, gaining support from the Governor’s Office
    and the Senate leadership, inclusion of major stakeholders, an
    explanation of how a similar project would fit into the larger scheme of
    HIE, possible designation of the WyHIO as the statewide RHIO, a
    sustained funding base for the WyHIO, developing a project all
    stakeholders can support, and future coordination with Representative
    Simpson (the bill’s sponsor) and Dr. Allen Gee who asked Rep.
    Simpson to sponsor the bill.

d) Wyoming Healthcare Commission Contract – Larry Biggio
   Larry briefed the board on progress to date with the WHCC contract
   and a recent meeting between the WYSAC manager, Jerry Calkins,
   and Larry to discuss preliminary findings. Jerry provided thoughts on
   progress to date, the potential value of the data to the WHCC, and the
   possibility of future work with the WHCC.

    The WyHIO will present preliminary findings at the next meeting of the
    WHCC, tentatively scheduled for April 2. The WyHIO is working with
    the WHCC to amend the current contract to extend the due dates for
    delivery of the final report.

e) Update on IRS 501(c)(3) Status – Larry Biggio
   Larry spoke with the federal representative that is handling the WyHIO
   application earlier this week. The IRS is attempting to develop a
   general policy concerning RHIO’s, but that is expected to take several
   more months. Larry will stay in contact.


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       f) Utah Health Information Network Collaboration – General Discussion
          Larry briefly reviewed the method, assumptions, claims filer survey,
          and calculations in the previously submitted draft business case on the
          WyHIO/UHIN collaboration. The subject of provider acceptance was
          discussed, including conversion issues, cash flow risks, and
          security/privacy concerns of the providers. The WyHIO will have
          additional information from the WYSAC survey in two months that
          might impact the board’s decision on the possible collaboration.

           Jerry Calkins moved and it was seconded, to table further discussion
           of the collaboration until the face-to-face meeting in either May or
           June. That motion was approved.

       g) Update on HIPSC and WHCC Direction and Activities – Jerry Calkins
          Jerry briefed the board on progress to date and the upcoming meeting
          in Casper on March 26 to review the report. The board discussed the
          WyHIO’s involvement in the project, and how the project furthers HIE
          in Wyoming.

           Jerry then briefed the board on the WHCC’s activities and how the
           WHCC is becoming the primary healthcare policy organization in
           Wyoming. Rural healthcare is one priority for the WHCC and the
           WHCC may look to the WyHIO for help with the technology issues in
           rural healthcare delivery.

VI. New business

       a) Collaboration with American College of Radiology on
          Critical Transfer Network – Geoff Smith
          Geoff explained the proposal from the American College of Radiology
          (ACR), how it might be modified to include elements of a Continuity of
          Care Record (CCR), the next steps in the project, and the WyHIO’s
          potential role in gathering resources to implement in Wyoming and
          surrounding states.

           The board discussed the possible use of the trauma regions as a base
           for gathering resources and implementing the network, as well as the
           need to raise additional funds to help support the implementation
           costs. The ACR would provide software and installation help, but other
           costs would need to be covered by participants or through other
           fundraising.

           Dana moved, and Geoff seconded a motion to continue working on the
           ACR project. That motion passed unanimously.


       b) Board membership – Larry Biggio

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             Larry covered the status of board member terms, the bylaws provisions
             on board member terms, reappointment, and election of officers. The
             bylaws are silent on the specific date when terms expire. Geoff
             suggested, and the board agreed to use June as the time for term
             expiration, since this was the anniversary of the appointment of the
             permanent board members.

             Jerry moved and it was seconded, that Larry contact the board
             members with expiring terms to determine their thoughts on continuing
             on the board. This motion was approved unanimously.

         c) New funding opportunities – General Discussion
            The board discussed an overall approach to fund raising, with the
            general sentiment that the WyHIO should focus on the projects
            identified in the strategic planning session – CTN and e-prescribing –
            unless another definite opportunity comes along. Also, the WyHIO
            should not discount the possibility of state funding in the future.


VII. Adjournment
         The meeting was adjourned at 8:16 am

   Minutes submitted by: Larry Biggio

   Minutes approved by: [Name]




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         3/07/2007