Conmergence

The 7th National Medical Banking Institute Kicks Off

I'll be blogging over at MBlog and tweeting @mbproject ( http://twitter.com/mbproject ) using #medbanking hash tag.

Don't forget to check out the International Journal of Medical Banking

7th National Medical Banking Institute, March 11-13, 2009, Nashville, TN

Details over at MBlog

Ken Rubin on Practical Guide to SOA in Healthcare

From SOA Consortium

The Practical Guide to SOA in Healthcare, an output of the Healthcare Services Specification Project (HSSP), is a collaborative work of the OMG Healthcare Task Force & Health Level 7 (HL7). The goal of HSSP is to develop SOA specifications for health, specifically defining healthcare business services to enable interoperability between organizations across the health domain.

While not a standard, the practical guide provides context and guidance for healthcare IT organizations and professionals considering SOA. Using a fictitious example, the practical guide presents an 8-step process to establish a healthcare SOA, from enterprise architecture through sustainment, and includes valuable lessons learned.

During his talk, Rubin spoke of the current state of global healthcare, and anticipated changes with the new U.S. administration and Health IT programs. Walking through the practical guide, meeting attendees were keenly interested in the healthcare function to service mapping and the reference architecture. Rubin emphasized that the reference architecture is a starting point for people to think about the problem, and extend and amend for their own situations.

Medical Banking Project Institute Hosts A Mayo Clinic Panel To Discuss “Federal Health Board”

The Medical Banking Project announced that it is collaborating with the Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center to organize a panel with top-level health care CEOs and policy experts to discuss the creation of a new “Federal Health Board” at its 2009 Medical Banking Institute on March 11-13, 2009 in Nashville, TN. Early bird registration is available at http;//www.mbproject.org.

“The panel is part of an outreach program designed by the policy center to promote urgently needed reform in health care based upon our ‘Building Upon The Cornerstones’ policy statement that emphasizes four core principles: create value, coordinate care, reform the payment system and insure everybody”, comments Robert Smoldt, Chief Administrative Officer Emeritus of Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center. “We’re intrigued by the medical banking movement and having the panel at the Institute seems to fit well with the Project’s mission to adapt banking models for health care.”

The Obama Administration recently announced HHS Secretary-select – Senator Tom Daschle, D-SD – who is an early proponent of a Federal Health Board. The panel will discuss the merits of using a Federal Reserve-like board for organizing competing health care groups around critical areas that need a common solution, including providing guaranteed, portable health insurance for all individuals, giving them choice, control and peace of mind, and to also encourage the use of value-based benefit design.

“I’ve started a dialogue on this topic with members at MBProject, CFOs at a leadership retreat organized by the Health Care Financial Management Association tackling a new payment system, and leaders at a recent 2008 Presidential Debate follow-up conference hosted by the Howard Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy at Belmont University,” comments John Casillas, Founding Director of The Medical Banking Project. “The idea is gaining traction among these groups and so we are pleased to facilitate the Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center dialogue at the Institute and we ask health care leaders everywhere to join us.”

The concept architecture of a Federal Health Board was advanced by the late Dr. Jerome Grossman of the Harvard Kennedy School. With permission granted by Dr. Grossman’s family, a draft of his work will be re-published in the second edition of the International Journal of Medical Banking to be distributed to Institute attendees.

In addition to the policy panel, MBProject is organizing a payor-provider panel to discuss the value paradigm using medical banking systems. A new Medical Banking Tool Kit will be announced that was designed by a collaboration of health care groups, banks and automotive industry giants. Other announcements are also expected.

-- Educational grantor: Banctec

-- Platinum Sponsor: Wausau Financial Systems

-- Media Sponsor: HealthcareFinanceNews

>> Catch the latest Institute Buzz at MBlog

About the Health Policy Center, Mayo Clinic…
The Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center was formed by Mayo Clinic in 2006 to catalyze the health care reform discussion and facilitate consensus among major stakeholders about patient-centered health reform solutions. To that end, the Health Policy Center has gathered more than 2,000 stakeholders at dozens of forums and meetings, and has achieved agreement on four "cornerstones" for health care reform including creating value, coordinating care, reforming the payment system and providing health insurance for all. For more information please go to: www.mayoclinic.org/healthpolicycenter/.

About the Medical Banking Project...
MBProject is a pioneering authority that coined the term “medical banking” to denote the emerging global convergence of banking and health care systems to improve health costs, quality and access. Our educational forums, workgroups and pilot program showcase visionary ideas and initiatives that inform policy, commerce and academia. Supported by a diverse constituency, MBProject conducts research and outreach that defines and facilitates medical banking, and this supports our mission to convert digital savings into charitable resources. Our work demonstrates how banks can improve health care programs for consumers, care givers, health plans and employers. For more information please go to: www.mbproject.org. Contact: John Casillas, 615-794-2009, info@mbproject.org

John Casillas, Medical Banking Project, on coupling healthcare to the financial bail out

A Medical Banking Addendum to the Financial Stability Plan Pending Before Congress over at MBlog.

The International Journal of Medical Banking White Paper Submission Requirements

Requirements:

1. The paper must be related to issues that directly affect the medical banking industry

2. The paper must not be a self-promoting or advertising piece

3. Preference is given to original pieces of research

4. The text should be double-spaced and include an abstract, list of milestones and/or deliverables if applicable and the significance of the work.

5. Submissions must be in electronic format (MS Word) and submitted to info@mbproject.org.

6. When submitting a white paper please include: company name, author(s) and contact information including email addresses. We are seeking white papers in the following areas:

• Information privacy, confidentiality and security that focuses on cross-industry issues in banking and healthcare
• Identity management technology that applies to medical banking programs
• Community coalition building, community programs & awareness that can be applied to medical banking constituencies
• Treasury and cash management programs targeting healthcare
• Card-based platforms and technologies that link healthcare and banking systems
• New credit programs for healthcare, both consumer and commercial
• Consumer-driven healthcare technology tools and platforms
• Open source healthcare programs linking banking and healthcare systems
• Electronic and Personal Healthcare Records programs linked to banking systems
• Bank-assisted RHIO programs
• Independent Health Record Banks/Trusts
• Banking opportunities in medical tourism
• Man-made and/or disaster preparedness involving medical banking systems
• Community care platforms linking consumers with healthcare programs in the local area using automated eligibility and funds transfer platforms

The 2nd edition of the Journal will be distributed to attendees of the 7th National Medical Banking Institute tentatively scheduled to occur in New Orleans, LA in April 2009. If you have any questions please feel free to contact MBProject offices by email using: journal@mbproject.org.

Interview with Maureen Turo, VP, Healthcare Market Specialist, Bank of New York Mellon

over at MBlog.

Medical Banking Networking Group Launched on LinkedIn.com

For those interested in using social networks to promote the latent integration of banking technology, infrastructure and credit with healthcare administrative and clinical operations, I have created a Medical Banking Networking Group on LinkedIn.com. The invite link is available here.

Gold Seal Standard Highlights Public Trust In Medical Banking Domain

A 15 month effort and recent pilot program culminate in the industry’s first health data privacy and security accreditation for medical banking constituencies

Franklin, TN (March 13, 2008) Just weeks before the Sixth National Medical Banking Institute to be held April 1-3, 2008 in Marietta, GA, the Medical Banking Project (MBProject), an authoritative pioneer in the formation of the medical banking industry, announced the creation of the first "Gold Seal Standard" for health data privacy and security for medical banking constituencies. The first version was created after a 15-month multi-stakeholder effort by MBProject members, and highlights the research firm's ongoing efforts to assure the highest standards of quality for emerging medical banking programs.

"We urged leaders to adopt a program that instills public trust in medical banking programs in 2001," said MBProject founder John Casillas. The Institute has strong roots in the national movement to implement HIPAA compliance among medical banking constituents. The first two Institutes held in 2002 and 2003 were 100% focused on privacy and security of health data, policy issues and operating areas where the two industries converge. In recent weeks federal and commercial groups have announced the creation of privacy frameworks that will be explored at the Institute. "We have increasing support from employers, banks, financial services firms, healthcare and IT firms and others, marking that it's time to implement this critical program," said Casillas.

Industry surveys suggest that banks are global leaders in the area of public trust. "Banks have considerable and ongoing investments in technology, processes and controls to ensure the bad guys don't get our money," said Casillas. "The Gold Seal program recognizes that medical banking is a new industry, and that the convergence of systems calls for a supplemental review to assure that the uncompromising standards and controls used by banks to secure our money will be used to thwart those who want to inappropriately access our health data." The program adds criteria outlined in HIPAA to existing banking regulations and controls, and is designed to adapt to additional federal, state and commercial privacy frameworks as they evolve.

MBProject called on its members to form a new "Accreditation Review Council" at the 2007 Institute, leading to a 15-month R&D effort isolating banking and healthcare regulations and related accreditation programs. The Council reached out to government and industry groups as it formed its framework. By January 2008, both the criteria and an accreditation methodology were adopted by the Council and readied for a pilot program.

The two-day pilot was conducted by John Phelan, PhD, an expert at Milliman, Inc., a global consulting and actuarial firm that works with a range of organizations on HIPAA compliance, and BNY Mellon Working Capital Solutions, a division of The Bank of New York Mellon. To meet the pilot criteria, BNY Mellon's healthcare team gathered 23 internal subject matter experts who would be impacted by the program. A post-pilot survey of the experts was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the new program. BNY Mellon and Milliman will present the results at the April Institute.

"The pilot was a successful and critical step in an accreditation program that demonstrates the financial service industry's commitment to assuring the highest security and confidentiality of personal health information," Phelan said.

"The work of the Council is a key foundation for building a medical banking ecosystem that will improve healthcare in America and around the world. We're excited about their work and eager to support the Gold Seal among our constituencies," said Casillas.

To learn more about the Institute or to register, please go to:

>> Institute Homepage & Agenda: http://www.mbproject.org/6mbi2008.php

>> Registration: http://www.mbproject.org/6MBI2008_registration.php

Many thanks to our Sponsors:

>> Educational Grantor: BancTec, Inc.

>> Platinum Sponsor: ACS, Inc.

>> Gold Sponsor: OptumHealthBank

>> Silver Sponsors: The Bank of New York Mellon; Fifth Third Bank; PNC Bank; Teleperformance

>> Media Sponsors: Healthcare Finance News, Future Healthcare

About the Medical Banking Project...
MBProject is a pioneering authority that coined the term “medical banking™” to denote the emerging global convergence of banking and healthcare systems to improve health costs, quality and access. Our educational forums, workgroups and pilot programs showcase visionary ideas and initiatives that inform policy, commerce and academia. Supported by a diverse constituency, MBProject conducts research and outreach that defines and facilitates medical banking™, and this supports our mission to convert digital savings into charitable resources. Our work demonstrates how banks can improve healthcare programs for consumers, care givers, health plans and employers. For more information please go to: http://www.mbproject.org. Contact: Evelyn Marquez Sanchez, 615-794-2009, info@mbproject.org

Pilot Updates At The Medical Banking Project

Over at MBlog.