November 29 Education Telecon

Call in info:

Online Meeting Link: https://join.freeconferencecall.com/education70 Online Meeting ID: education70 The dial in number for the United States is: (605) 475-4072 Access Code: 321601 For international toll free numbers, please go to https://www.freeconferencecall.com/wall/education70#international All active participants and other interested individuals are invited to join us for this call.

Attendance

Sadhana Alangar, John Ritter, Abdul-Malik Shakir, Matt Blackmon, Caroline Bennett

Topics Discussed

• Approve Prior Minutes
  • Sadhana noted she had sent minor corrections. John motioned to approve. Sadhana seconded Unanimously approved minutes from last teleconference.
• FHIR Proficiency Test Status - how do we move from pilot to GA
  • Both Keith Boone and Grahame Grieve promoted the test.
  • However, uptake has been negligible. Instead, there is more interest in the FHIR Intro webinar series, downloading of the FHIR Proficiency Study Guide+Practice Test, and some interest in the FHIR Proficiency Review Webinar.
  • Sadhana thought students might just not be ready.
  • AMS recommended we do a pulse survey on the test. Virginia noted that an interest in professional certification in general is something that was already surveyed with very positive results. However, Sadhana recommended we do a general survey on education interests and needs.
  • Sadhana also agreed to reach out to Diego and Fernando to ask them to advertise the test to the FHIR Fundamentals audience. Concern that we do not have enough data for a true pilot evaluation. Agreed to keep in pilot but if Grahame agrees look at preliminary results for significant issues and tweak prior to January.
  • Also, suggestion made that we ask people at HIMSS about education interest as well as promote certification
• Update on Africa Proposal
  • AMS explained his proposal more - he explained that he took time picking the regions that made sense strategically.
  • Risk noted - they need to provide an audience (hoping for 100-700)
  • Noted that numerous countries have ehealth strategic plans
  • John noted that Botswana would love a visit.
  • Benefits: raise awareness, increase standards adoption, potential affiliate
  • John liked the plan and suggests that in general we should visit with Ministries of Health, bring education resources, train the trainers, and repeat at about 9 month intervals.
  • Biggest issue: funding. Caroline suggested gofundme. Someone suggested HL7 foundation. We discussed what EHRs they are using - Botswana uses Meditech and Kenya uses Cerner. Would they help with funding? John did not feel good about the Meditech contact meeting. AMS suggested WHO, CDC, Gates foundation. Caroline has a contact who used to work for WHO and will explore reaching out. John suggestged Intel and Verizon. Some countries are making it mandatory. Grahame is in Vietnam. Matt noted that $25000 in the scheme of things is not that much money. Grants, vendor like Orion also mentioned. Might need continued funding or sustainability.
• WGM planning
  • Skipped - this needs to be done at the next call
• Strategic Planning
  • Sadhana showed data representing trends in all types of education offering for HL7 over the past few years and for certification. We analyzed considering other factors such as standards becoming free in 2015 (so membership is not required) and the rise of virtual training and the affordability of the Fundamentals program (which makes the most revenue).
  • Virginia asked for profit
  • AMS asked for number of students in each category. Noting that the per student profit might not be even. Virginia noted that fundamentals is such a good deal - might be detracting from other offerings - lower per student return potential. Need to consider value to students and price accordingly and fairly.
  • Sadhana noted that revenue in everything has gone down this year. One reason seems to be we offered less. Need to offer more next year.
  • Virginia also noted that fundamentals (which attracts alot of students) competes and wins over traditional offerings. Also connectathon and summits/round tables also have educational value. Roundtables/summits/partners in interoperability meetings may be competing with HL7 traditional education and they are all cheaper.
  • Education Portal offerings are out of date - need to rerecord. Also, not enough FHIR offerings.
  • Matt recommended more classes and more variety
  • Everyone agreed we need to understand audience better (survey at HIMSS perhaps with a prize, Sadhana to attend and talk to people.)
  • One problem is that the website is hard to navigate - homework - review website and create a document with your comments. Sadhana would like to work at improving the website.
  • Discussed need to reach new audiences - clinicians brought up again - John suggested school nurses, dentists, eye doctors.
  • Virginia mentioned our outdated scope statement in which we wanted to collaborate and teach either at local meetings (local HIMSS events or at other organization's events like ACC - American College of Cardiology). AMS expressed one concern in that some already have people who teach HL7 for them.
• HL7 Professional Certification, other cert status
  • Sadhana noted that business plan work is being done on implementer's call.
  • Virginia noted that some work is being done on Arden Syntax and CCDA certification