The lack of interoperability between electronic health record (EHRs) systems has been a consistent barrier to the optimal use of EHRs to increase the efficiency of patient care and improve care coordination for patients across the health care system. In addition, changes in technology and attitudes have led to an increasing demand by patients to have quick and easy access to information contained in their medical record. New federal rules released last year have gone into effect that will affect how physicians who keep electronic medical records release that information to patients and other entities with legitimate data requests

Join Johnalyn Lyles, PhD, and Cassie Weaver, JD, from the federal Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology for a presentation highlighting important provisions in the new federal rule regarding “information blocking,” and what practices need to do to be in compliance with the new regulations.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this activity, learners will be able to:

1. Define information blocking.
2. Identify activities in your practice that could be considered information blocking.
3. Describe the categories of exceptions for activities that do not constitute information blocking.

About the presenters:

Johnalyn Lyles, PhD is the Deputy Director of the Regulatory and Policy Affairs Division within the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). The Division leads ONC’s development of regulations, analyzes policy, and coordinates across HHS and the Federal Government on initiatives, policies, and regulations to support nationwide efforts to advance health information technology, electronic health information exchange, patient access, and healthcare for all Americans. She also actively supports ONC’s education and scientific research efforts. Before joining ONC, she worked for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) on priority health policy, including Meaningful Use. She helped guide the clinical and scientific agenda on Alzheimer’s disease and dementia and supported the Federal opioid workgroup. Johnalyn received her PhD in Neuropharmacology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Cassie Weaver, JD is an attorney and policy analyst in the Regulatory and Policy Affairs Division of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). She specializes in all things information blocking: policy development, compliance, administration, and stakeholder outreach and education. Prior to joining ONC, she worked at the Environmental Protection Agency, and as an attorney representing indigent clients in southeast Michigan, her home state. She holds a JD from the University of Michigan of Law School and a BA in International Affairs from American University.

Who can attend:

Registration is limited to ISMS members and their employed staff. All others must pay $150 to attend. To pay, please email hpresearch@isms.org for instructions.

Accreditation:

The Illinois State Medical Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit designation:

The Illinois State Medical Society designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit^TM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosure:

There are no relevant financial relationships with ACCME-defined commercial interests for anyone who was in control of the content of this activity.

Since the passage of the Heroin Crisis Act in 2015, Illinois has made reducing opioid-related deaths in the state one of its top priorities. A State of Illinois Opioid Action Plan (SOAP) was developed on the basis of recommendations made by the Illinois Opioid Crisis Response Advisory Council, made up of State agencies, members of the General Assembly, statewide physician organizations like ISMS, other professional/trade organizations, community-based providers, county health departments, county coroners, hospitals, and local coalitions. But where does Illinois stand now? What strategies to reduce opioid-related deaths have been implemented, and how have they worked?

Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery (SUPR) Chief of Staff Dani Kirby will discuss the SOAP, as well as the new challenges facing Illinois as it addresses the confluence of COVID pandemic and opioid pandemic, and how it plans to target resources in communities that need them most.

Who can attend:

Registration is limited to ISMS members and their employed staff. All others must pay $150 to attend. To pay, please email hpresearch@isms.org for instructions.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this activity, learners will be able to:

1. Describe the state of the opioid epidemic in Illinois.
2. Describe how the state has addressed the opioid crisis through its State of Illinois Opioid Action Plan.
3. Discuss the effect of the COVID pandemic on the opioid epidemic in Illinois.
4. List resources available to physicians working with patients with opioid use disorder.

About the presenter:

Dani Kirby is Chief of Staff for the Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery (SUPR). Ms. Kirby has worked at IDHS/SUPR since 2003, previously as Director of SUPR and Deputy Director of Planning, Performance Assessment and Federal Projects. Her earlier responsibilities at SUPR included administering federally funded treatment and infrastructure improvement grants, as well as the Illinois Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant. She directed the Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Project, driving expansion of SBIRT services within Illinois federally qualified health centers and working to integrate substance use disorder services with primary care. In her time as Director, Dani focused on Illinois’ response to the opioid epidemic, promoting a recovery-oriented system of care and innovating the state’s approach to increasing access to services.

She is a certified Project Management Professional who earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Carroll College, a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health and a Master of Education in Secondary Education from Northwestern University.

Accreditation:

The Illinois State Medical Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit designation:

The Illinois State Medical Society designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit^TM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosure:

There are no relevant financial relationships with ACCME-defined commercial interests for anyone who was in control of the content of this activity.