The National Council of Urban Indian Health is aware that technological tools cut across all Urban Indian Organizations (UIO) operational areas—from clinical and medical technology and telemedicine to accounting, payment system processes, marketing, and outreach. Since its foundation, NCUIH has fostered and participated in national initiatives involving technology as a medium to improve both the sustainability of the UIOs as well as the wellbeing of the population they serve. Likewise, NCUIH strives to ensure the technology available to collect the most accurate data from its programs.
Current Projects
HIT and EHR Technical Assistance
With support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), NCUIH offers technical assistance support to UIOs on a wide range of topics, to improve public health outcomes for urban American Indians and Alaska Natives. For more information, see our HIT project page or visit our Technical Assistance Portal HIT Forum.
HIT UIO Impact Statements
“Working with NCUIH’s HIT Peer-to-Peer Solutions Center has really helped me gain knowledge on eCR and get the necessary connections to implement our electronic case reporting enhancing our features within our NextGen Product. I was able to not only gain knowledge, but gain connections with Public Health and CDC. These connections enhance our capability for future projects and working with NCUIH has been a pleasure. I feel NCUIH is a great asset in assisting with many different aspects of HIT and will enhance knowledge and new connections.”
“The NCUIH’s HIT Peer-to-Peer Solutions Center webinar helped the Kansas City Indian Center to choose and develop our electronic medical records system. The series helped us to identify a commercial system that best met our current needs and anticipate our future needs. We are grateful to NCUIH for the technical assistance provided.”
Electronic Case Reporting (eCR) of COVID-19
Electronic case reporting (eCR) is the automated generation and transmission of case reports from electronic health records to public health agencies for review and action. With support from the CDC, NCUIH has been highlighting UIO leadership and implementing this new technology to fight COVID-19 and other reportable conditions. For more information, including funding opportunities and outcomes, see our eCR project.
Data Reporting and Standards
The NCUIH Board of Directors created a standing Data Standards Committee, comprised of Board Members, Data specialists and NCUIH staff. This initiative aims at developing an accurate accounting of UIO services using Indian Health Service funds. In addition to a standing quarterly meeting, the Committee supports NCUIH membership with reporting needs. For more information, contact our Research team.
Payment System Reform
Funded through the Indian Health Service. This initiative aims at increasing UIOs revenue through training on third-party billing and reimbursements. Activities include -10-CM, GPRA, PPS Review, A/R Management implementation through conference calls and WebEx sessions. Learn more about our PSR initiatives here.
Archived Projects (Pre-2020)
2015 Marketing and Outreach Assessment
NCUIH carried out a National Marketing and Outreach Capabilities Assessment, including information on the technological platforms used by the NCUIH Members to communicate and conduct outreach locally, as well as nationally. In addition to a preliminary online assessment, this project included a general survey and results analysis. The Survey was responded by approximately by 80% of the Urban Indian Health programs. Among results stemming from this project, we find that half of the respondents indicated that less than 75% of their patients have reliable internet access. The #1 ranked online platform for outreach is Facebook (listed by over 60% of respondents). A dull report on the Assessment will be available soon.
2010 Health Information Technology Survey
In 2010, NCUIH surveyed its Membership on Health information-technology-specific issues. The survey was responded to by approximately 60% of the UIOs and shows that the basics for e-readiness are indeed in place. For instance, 100 % of the Urban Indian Health Programs reported having access to the Internet in their facilities (and their own server); of those, over 90 % have a broadband connection. The same survey shows that an average of 95 % of the personnel uses the internet at work. UIO leaders estimate that nearly sixty percent of their served community has access to the Internet and Email (59% and 57%, respectively). For the full report click here.
What EXACTLY is Health Information Technology?
In plain English, it is the use of electronic means to carry out an operation related to health care or to a medical management task*. HITs, therefore, range from purely administrative operations to task-specific tools for management systems; to highly specialized, patient-customized solutions.
How HITs are tools for Sustainable development in my organization?
HITs can foster sustainable development in three main ways:
- Freeing up Resources: although the initial investment can be expensive funding and training-wise, Information technologies have proven to lower fixed costs through significantly faster operations and increased efficiency. These resources can be used for improving or expanding services.
- Knowledge Transfer and Foundation: once the technology has been ingrained in the health facility, it creates a technological foundation that can be used by managers to find customized solutions according to the challenges they are facing- which can expand capabilities without much investment.
- Standardized Systems: the technology to be provided through this government initiative would be standard for all facilities, which reduces costs as well as eases both management and IT personnel recruitment.
External Resources:
- Information Technology Planning Approach and Concepts (The Healthcare Information Technology Planning Fieldbook: Tactics, Tools and Templates for Building Your IT Plan)
- The HIPAA Privacy Rule’s Right of Access and Health Information Technology
- Personal Health Records (PHRs) and the HIPAA Privacy Rule
- Accountable Care Organizations
- Health Information Exchange (HIE)
- Clinical Informatics
- ICD-9 to ICD-10 Conversion
- Meaningful Use OneSource
- Privacy and Security
International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) Update Session at the 2015 Annual Leadership Conference
2014 Third Party Billing Update at the Annual Leadership Conference
