HIMSS, AFEHCT Combine for More Effective Voice in Health Care Business Policy
The 14 Ingredients of a PACS Administrator
SIIM Analyzing Survey Results for New CIIP Credential

HIMSS, AFEHCT Combine for More Effective Voice in Health Care Business Policy

The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), Chicago, and the Association for Electronic Health Care Transactions (AFEHCT), Washington, DC, have merged, effective May 31, 2006, becoming the HIMSS AFEHCT Business Information Systems Initiative.

The organization’s unification will help achieve the most effective voice for influencing policies and procedures in e-commerce and business transactions in health care. Because of AFEHCT’s desire to strengthen its presence and programs, and because of HIMSS’s desire to build expertise in the area of administrative and financial health information technology, the two organizations deemed a merger to be the most logical step, as it adds value for both of its members.

AFEHCT will be a distinct area within HIMSS to ensure the community’s identity, focus, accomplishment, and accountability. It will operate under the overall governance of the HIMSS Board of Directors and the management of HIMSS.

Current AFEHCT membership will roll over to HIMSS membership until the January 1, 2007, renewal date. Current HIMSS members are eligible to participate in this new community at no extra charge.

For more information, visit www.afehct.org and www.himss.org.

The 14 Ingredients of a PACS Administrator

In the article “Defining the PACS Profession: An Initial Survey of Skills, Training, and Capabilities for PACS Administrators,”1 Paul Nagy, PhD, et al outlined a framework of competencies for what a PACS administrator needs to successfully plan, implement, and support a PACS solution in the clinical environment. The authors used the information systems team model recommended by Gartner Group Inc, Stamford, Conn, which has been used outside of the health care system to develop successful IT organizations. The model breaks down professional competencies into three categories, which the authors believe correspond with the educational background of those already working as PACS administrators.

  1. Behavioral (focusing on workflow and skills used when working with all end users):
    • training
    • workflow analysis
    • reading environment
    • customer relations management
  2. Business (focusing on administrative skills in project management):
    • PACS readiness
    • strategic vision
    • PACS economics
    • vendor selection
    • sustaining PACS
  3. Technical (focusing on those skills required to keep the PACS operating smoothly):
    • technical overview
    • trouble-shooting
    • systems management
    • modalities
    • security

The authors acknowledge that it would be unlikely for one person to demonstrate competency in all three categories.

Reference

  1. Nagy P, Bowers G, Reiner BI, Siegel EL. Defining the PACS profession: an initial survey of skills, training, and capabilities for PACS administrators. J Dig Imaging. 2005;18:252–259.

SIIM Analyzing Survey Results for New CIIP Credential

The Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine (SIIM), Great Falls, Va—formerly the Society for Computer Applications in Radiology (SCAR)—is establishing a new program for imaging informatics professionals to earn the credential of Certified Imaging Informatics Professional (CIIP). With this certification, SIIM’s aim is to define a standard for demonstrating the knowledge and competence necessary for imaging informatics professionals, as well as recognize the distinct competencies that varying backgrounds bring to the profession.

The goals of the CIIP credential are to enhance patient care by improving the practice of imaging informatics professionals, to recognize professionalism learned through education and/or experience in the field of imaging informatics, and to create an instrument to measure competency in imaging informatics. It will not have different levels of certification.

A survey was posted on SIIM’s Web site (www.scarnet.org) throughout May, asking respondents to assign a value for how much of the test they felt should be given to each major section and subsection, which included:

  • behavioral;
  • business/managerial objective; and
  • technical.

See “The 14 Ingredients of a PACS Administrator” for a break-down of individual competencies. Respondents also were encouraged to leave written comments on the survey. Currently, SIIM staff members are in the process of analyzing the information they received and have no comment yet as to what types of responses were given or how those comments will or will not affect the CIIP examination, says Caroline Wilson, director of publications and media for SIIM.

The first examination is expected to be held in September 2007, and those meeting the following criteria will be eligible to take it: a flexible mix of experience, education, and related professional activities. The examination’s logistics will be revealed at the SIIM 2007 Annual Meeting on June 7–10, 2007, in Providence, RI; eligibility requirements and registration information will be published in advance of when the test will become available.

—M. Saffari