University of Central Florida College of Medicine to Take Leadership Role in Involving Medical Students and Community Stakeholders with Use of Consumer eHealth Engagement Tool
Orlando, FL (PRWEB) October 24, 2013 -- The University of Central Florida (UCF) College of Medicine has recently entered into an agreement with National eHealth Collaborative (NeHC) to promote the NeHC Consumer eHealth Readiness Tool (CeRT) - powered by HealthCAWS. The relationship began in 2012 with a site visit by NeHC and InfoComm to see firsthand the expansive use of technology throughout the campus.
“We were so impressed with the adoption of technology at the UCF College of Medicine as part of their way of doing business, we knew that UCF was a natural partner to further advance our work in consumer eHealth engagement through adoption of the CeRT,” said Kate Berry, CEO of National eHealth Collaborative.
The NeHC CeRT is a support service developed by HealthCAWS that includes an extensive survey-based organizational assessment, real-time progress reports, a comprehensive resource center and a solutions directory. It is an online business intelligence tool that measures an organization’s consumer engagement capabilities and practices. The CeRT assessment includes detailed questions in four progressive consumer engagement dimensions: informed consumer, empowered consumer, engaged consumer and partnered consumer. It addresses additional concepts including technology, infrastructure, culture and outcome measurement.
The CeRT is aligned with the widely adopted NeHC Patient Engagement Framework, a comprehensive guide vetted by over 150 healthcare stakeholders and a diverse set of health IT, standards and consumer advocacy organizations. The CeRT is also mapped to relevant Meaningful Use criteria, which will be invaluable to health care providers when preparing for Stage 2 Meaningful Use.
“We are pleased to join NeHC as a member and to work with NeHC and HealthCAWS to advance cutting edge educational opportunities for our medical students by using the CeRT to support providers in their consumer eHealth initiatives,” said David Metcalf, PhD, Senior Researcher and Director, Mixed Emerging Technology Integration Lab (METIL), Institute for Simulation & Training at UCF College of Medicine.
“The relationship with the UCF Medical College is special not only because of the influence across stakeholders in Central Florida, but the ability to change how we interact with consumers as a healthcare system,” said Rose Maljanian, Chairman & CEO of HealthCAWS. “We are evolving from a system of paternalist care to one where consumers want to and need to be engaged in their care. The design of our medical education and delivery systems needs to reflect that.”
The University will begin engaging members of the stakeholder community and select medical students to participate in the CeRT promotions program in the coming weeks.
About University of Central Florida College of Medicine
Established in 2006, the UCF College of Medicine is one of the first U.S. medical schools in decades to be built from the ground up. As a new medical school, UCF’s program epitomizes innovation, high-tech learning tools and a pioneering spirit to educate young doctors and scientists in a new and better way for the 21st century. The UCF College of Medicine is a forward-looking medical school with a culture based on partnerships and collaboration. The college’s medical and biomedical programs capitalize on UCF’s existing strengths in biological sciences, modeling and simulation, engineering, optics and photonics, psychology, chemistry, film and digital media, business and nursing.
About National eHealth Collaborative:
National eHealth Collaborative (NeHC) is a public-private partnership that accelerates effective use of health IT to create a more patient and family centered healthcare system with better outcomes and greater value. NeHC works closely with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is led by some of the nation's most respected thought leaders in healthcare and health IT. NeHC’s primary focus is on encouraging health information exchange, providing tools to support engagement with consumers, and leveraging an education platform and health IT programs with broad stakeholder reach. NeHC brings value to the healthcare community by offering both pragmatic tools to support deployment of health IT and serving as a convener of stature to assist stakeholders in tackling common challenges and developing collaborative solutions. The NeHC Consumer eHealth Readiness Tool (CeRT) – powered by HealthCAWS – can be licensed at http://www.nationalehealth.org/cert.
About HealthCAWS:
HealthCAWS is a health care services company focused exclusively on helping payer, population health and delivery system clients improve health and reduce health care costs. By Combining Accountability With Support in an adaptable technology Platform, HealthCAWS mobilizes consumers and providers in a unified effort to achieve the common goal of high quality, affordable care – “the CAWS™.”
Media Contacts:
Wendy Spirduso Sarubbi
Director, Communications and Marketing
University of Central Florida College of Medicine
Wendy.Sarubbi(at)ucf(dot)edu
(407) 266-1418
Meryt McGindley
Communications Director
National eHealth Collaborative
mmcgindley(at)nationalehealth(dot)org
(202) 467-8330
Rose Maljanian
Chairman & CEO
HealthCAWS
rmaljanian(at)healthcaws(dot)com
(860) 673-0221
Rose Maljanian, HealthCAWS,Inc., http://www.healthcaws.com/, +1 (860) 673-0221, [email protected]
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