: The long-term objectives of the planning grant include: the creation of a detailed assessment of feasibility of HIT implementation; the development of an implementation plan, including organizational, governance and financial components; specification of clinical and organizational needs that can be met through HIT; identification of partnership organizational goals and needs that can be met by HIT; complete assessment of feasibility of HIT implementation, identifying barriers and ways to address them; supported definitions of basic project parameters; and identification of procedures for ongoing project evaluation and feedback. Safety net providers serving St. Mary Parish agree to commit in-kind administrative time and IT staff required to complete an intensive one year planning process to reach the goals identified above. Analysis will include, but is not limited to, the following key components: connecting existing information systems to allow for: 1) sharing population demographic data between systems; and 2) sharing of relevant data elements between medical and social service providers; expanded sharing of information, with demographic, financial and clinical data made available in the following sequence: 1) Franklin Foundation Hospital; 2) Teche Action Clinic; 3) Office of Public Health; 4) Chitimacha Health Clinic; 5) Iberia Comprehensive Community Health Center; 6) Community Action Agency; creation of a medication management system and electronic note writing capability; the feasibility of expansion of a clinical software program currently in operation in New Orleans through the New Orleans HCAP Grantee; creation of a credentialing model to allow access to clinical data for physicians in other project partner organizations; and establishment of information sharing agreements to allow sharing of clinical data among professionals and support staff in the project partnership.
