State Selects Vendor to Develop Electronic Information Exchange

CHICAGO - October 8, 2011. Governor Quinn announced today the selection of InterSystems Corporation as the vendor assisting the state in the next stage of development of Illinois' electronic health information system. After a competitive bidding process, the Illinois Office of Health Information Technology selected InterSystems to develop the technology infrastructure for the Illinois Health Information Exchange. The Exchange will connect physicians and hospitals electronically, enabling the secure exchange of patient health records statewide.

"Building our electronic health information exchange is a major step in transforming health care and helping patients," Governor Quinn said. "Statewide access to electronic records means that vital patient information will be instantly available to doctors and hospitals when it is needed most, improving health care delivery and saving lives."

The development of the Illinois Health Information Exchange is funded through a federal grant program established to allow states to assist health care providers and hospitals with the exchange of electronic health records. Illinois received $18.8 million over four years to develop this capacity, and the first phase of exchange services is expected to be available statewide in April 2012.

Like states across the nation, Illinois is actively participating in federally-funded programs to promote the widespread adoption and exchange of electronic health records.  Delays in sending paper records and the difficulty of storing, retrieving and transmitting paper documents are major contributors to inefficiency and unnecessary cost in health care. In addition to promoting better care, electronic health records also reduce the need for patients to fill out redundant forms and increase patient access to their own medical records.

"The secure exchange of patient information throughout the state is critical to improving health care and health outcomes in Illinois," Illinois Health Information Exchange Authority Board Chair Cheryl Whitaker, MD said. "With the move away from paper records to the electronic exchange of structured data, physicians will get a more comprehensive picture of a patient's health care history and needs, leading to better diagnoses and treatment."

"Financial incentives offered through Medicare and Medicaid are driving Illinois health care providers and hospitals to adopt electronic health record systems in unprecedented numbers," Laura Zaremba, Director of the Illinois Office of Health Information Technology said. "The Illinois Health Information Exchange will help them use those systems to increase care coordination and ensure that proper security measures are in place to protect patient privacy."

The selection of InterSystems Corporation is the result of a competitive bidding process that sought industry leaders in health information technology. The selection criteria included expertise in health information management, patient privacy and security, and competitive pricing.

InterSystems Corporation is the vendor for several health information exchanges in the U.S., including the Rhode Island statewide health information exchange, the Healthcare Information Xchange of New York and the Brooklyn Health Information Exchange.  The company also provides the database and infrastructure for more than 100 health care software applications nationwide, and supplies database technology to U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Veterans' Affairs hospitals.

For more information, please visit www.hie.illinois.gov.

##

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2011 -Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will give remarks on global food security on TUESDAY at Iowa State University in Ames and on THURSDAY at the World Food Prize in Des Moines. Vilsack will discuss how the continued innovation and creativity of American scientists, farmers and policy-makers are essential to confront the combined challenges of feeding a growing global population, mitigating the effects of climate change, and meeting increasing energy demands at home and abroad.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

5:00 p.m. CDT

WHAT: Secretary Vilsack to give remarks on global food security at the Iowa State University Lecture Program World Affairs Series.

WHERE: Iowa State University

Memorial Union - South Ballroom

2229 Lincoln Way

Ames, IA 50014

Thursday, October 13, 2011

10:15 a.m. CDT

WHAT: Secretary Vilsack to give remarks on global food security at the World Food Prize panel, "Sharing Agricultural Knowledge to Drive Sustainable Growth."

WHERE: Marriot Hotel

700 Grand Avenue

Des Moines, IA 50309

#

Q:        How is The World Food Prize tied to Iowa?

A:        Two Iowans were behind creation of the World Food Prize, the international award recognizing individuals who improve the quality, quantity and availability of food in the world.  Dr. Norman Borlaug (1914-2009) -- an agronomist, humanitarian, Nobel laureate (the only recipient to receive this honor for working in agriculture), and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal -- grew up in rural Cresco.  He was the father of what's called the Green Revolution when, from the 1940s to the 1970s, research, development and new technologies increased agricultural production around the world.  Dr. Borlaug was involved with the development of high-yielding varieties of cereal grains, expansion of irrigation infrastructure, modernization of management techniques, and the distribution of hybridized seeds, synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to farmers.  Dramatically increasing crop yields saved hundreds of millions of people from starvation.  Dr. Borlaug's leadership and tireless work gave the world's poorest people access to food.  It's said that he saved more lives than any other person in history.  Dr. Borlaug envisioned a prize as a means of recognizing and inspiring achievements in fighting world hunger.  His vision was realized in 1986, when The World Food Prize was created.  In 1990, the first sponsor of the prize withdrew, and Iowa businessman and leading philanthropist John Ruan (1914-2010) stepped forward to endow the prize, making it possible to continue Dr. Borlaug's vision.  The World Food Prize organization is located in Des Moines.

Q:        Who is considered for the prize?

A:        Contributions by individuals in any field that's involved in the world food supply - including food and agricultural science and technology, manufacturing, marketing, nutrition, economics, poverty alleviation, political leadership, and the social sciences - are recognized by The World Food Prize.  The prize values a nutritious and sustainable food supply for all people.  Outstanding individuals from Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Cuba, Denmark, Ethiopia, India, Mexico, Sierra Leone, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United Nations, and the United States have received the prize.  It's most fitting that this prestigious award is given each fall in Iowa.  Iowa farmers are blessed with some of the best soil in the world, and our state's productivity and agricultural abundance have made significant contributions to global food security, humanitarian relief, economic growth, job creation and national security.

Click here for audio.

Here is the text of the address:

Last weekend, my office received a new set of documents from the Justice Department related to my investigation of the ill-advised strategy known as Fast and Furious.

The documents were revealing.  Included were several memorandums to Attorney General Holder that reveal the Attorney General was briefed at least five times beginning in July 2010 in written memos about Fast and Furious.

What is concerning to many of us is the fact that the Attorney General told the House Judiciary Committee in May 2011 that he had just learned of Fast and Furious a few weeks before.  Yet, on January 31, in a previously scheduled meeting, I personally handed him two letters about Fast and Furious.

Now, to find out he knew some pretty detailed information about the operation back in the summer of 2010, is troubling.

The memo specifically says that the straw buyers, including the target of the investigation, were "responsible for the purchase of 1500 firearms that were then supplied to Mexican drug trafficking cartels."  It seems the logical question for the Attorney General, and his staff, after reading the memo would be "why haven't we stopped them?"

In addition, the documents we received show several other people very high up in the Justice Department knew a great deal of information about Fast and Furious, including that guns were being walked.

Congressman Issa, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee who I'm working with, and I will continue working to get to the bottom of this.  We want to make sure a stupid program like this never happens again.