CHICAGO (August 14, 2007) - With ongoing demand for credible and current data on regional health information organizations and state health IT initiatives, the updated HIMSS State Dashboard, at www.himss.org/statedashboard/ now simplifies that search process. This strategic and online business resource links users to information on: Grant Information: Learn more about grants awarded to communities, hospitals, providers and healthcare systems with information on funding and grant specifics.

RHIO Specifics: Go to information on RHIOs and their current status, an analysis that is updated every six months and can be downloaded to a spreadsheet.

State Legislation Tracking: Updated weekly, this tool offers descriptions and summaries of, and the HIMSS position on, pending state legislation.
Davies Award Winners: Access information about the Davies Award recipients.

HIMSS Chapter Information: Find the locations of and contact information for the 47 HIMSS chapters.

The HIMSS State Dashboard offers a valuable perspective on interoperability at the state and national levels, said H. Stephen Lieber, CAE, HIMSS president/CEO.

"With the introduction of this expanded online resource, HIMSS continues to provide its members and others in the industry with a knowledge base that is vital to understanding these various components of EMR implementation and adoption."

State Healthcare Knowledgebase
For users looking for more detailed, state-level information, the HIMSS Analytics' State Healthcare Knowledgebase provides an in-depth look on each state's healthcare and demographic environment.
HIMSS Analytics' State Healthcare Knowledgebase provides economic and operational statistics related to each state's healthcare landscape. This database includes current information on:

* State statistics across the nation related to population growth, healthcare spending, and employment
* RHIOs and their activity, amount of funding, focus, primary sponsors, and members throughout the U.S.
* The key payers, employers, industries, healthcare providers and organizations on a state-by-state basis

As the growthand analysis of RHIOs continue, accessing reliable and current state healthcare information becomes even more crucial, said Dave Garets, CEO/president of HIMSS Analytics. The State Healthcare Knowledgebase provides its users with a business planning resource that supports healthcare IT initiatives for market research, strategic planning and new business development.

More Industry Headlines