National MS Society Joins President Obama's Call for eHealth

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society's fight for better health care has accelerated to a whole new level.

President Obama and Congress directed the Secretary of Health and Human Services to accelerate a nationwide program to assist health care providers in adopting, implementing and effectively utilizing health information technology to improve the quality, safety, efficiency and accessibility of health care for their patients. The National eHealth Collaborative (NeHC) was formed to support this requirement.

In response to the hard work and dedication of Julie Butcher, CIO, National MS Society, Janet Kramer, President of the Ohio Buckeye Chapter, and David Stallman, Director of Information Technology of the Ohio Buckeye Chapter, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society received unanimous approval by the NeHC Board of Directions for membership into this important Collaborative. The NeHC Board viewed the Society's clients as an important group to include and an example of the diversity of members needed to make up the Collaborative. As a member of the Collaborative, the Society will have the opportunity to:

• Identify breakthrough strategies to accelerate health IT adoption and interoperable use


• Participate in the development of a governance framework white paper for the Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN)


• Provide expertise on policies related to an interoperable, standards-based electronic health care system


• Support the implementation of health IT through market-driving approaches


• Provide and share technical resources to accelerate health information technology interoperability

In addition to being invited to be a Collaborative member, the Society specifically asked to be a part of the Policy Committee.

The National eHealth Collaborative operates in partnership with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC/HHS), the Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel (HITSP), the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT), and the Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN).