The State Alliance for e-Health announced the membership of its task forces on health care practice and health information protection. The task forces support the efforts of the State Alliance, which brings together governors, attorneys general, state legislators, insurance commissioners and other experts to address state-level health information technology issues and challenges to enabling appropriate, interoperable, electronic health information exchange (HIE).

The Health Care Practice Task Force, comprised of representatives from state government and the private sector, will support the State Alliance on issues regarding the regulatory, legal and professional standards that affect the practice of medicine and create barriers to interoperable, electronic HIE. Thelma Armstrong, director of the Eastern Montana Telemedicine Network, Billings Clinic, and Dr. Darlene Bartz, chief of the Health Resources Section of the North Dakota Department of Health, serve as co-chairs of the task force. A complete list of members is available online.

The Health Information Protection Task Force, also comprised of representatives from state government and the private sector, will support the State Alliance on issues regarding the protection of consumer health information that ensures appropriate and secure electronic HIE within and across states. Sallie Hunt, chief privacy officer of the West Virginia Health Care Authority, and Dr. Robert J. Lamberts, physician and senior partner of the Evans Medical Group, PC, will co-chair the task force. A complete membership list is available online.

KW