Congressional Affairs

The mission of HIMSS Congressional Affairs team is to support the organization and its chapters by building effective partnerships and relationships with members of Congress and their staff to have correct health information technology and management systems information to make public policy decisions. This mission is achieved through the representation and advocacy of HIMSS legislative principles, needs and interests.  The team is lead by Director of Congressional Affairs K. Meredith Taylor, MPH; and includes Vice President of Government Relations Dave Roberts, MPA, FHIMSS; Senior Manager for Congressional Affairs Blair Hedgepeth, CPHIMS; Manager for Public Policy Kathie Westpheling, MPH; and Manager for Public Policy Initiatives Wayne Humphries.   

HIMSS mobilizes its members and seeks to perform multiple levels of advocacy activities through a variety of initiatives, including the Advocacy & Public Policy Steering Committee and the Legislation & Regulation Review Task Force.  Members of the Steering Committee, Task Force and HIMSS staff work closely with key congressional decision-makers and Congressional Caucuses to advance improvements in the quality, safety and efficiency of healthcare through the use of IT and management systems.  HIMSS’ primary advocacy focus is to provide leadership and education on healthcare issues and policy in order to remove barriers and enable implementation of solutions.

In addition, HIMSS has created a new Congressional Rapid Response Task Force to help field and fulfill the requests of Members of Congress and Congressional Staff with tight deadlines.  This task force will be the core group called to action once a “quick-turn-around” request comes into the HIMSS office.  Requests of this nature are rare, but crucial to our success supporting HIMSS legislative agenda on Capitol Hill.  If you are interested in volunteering for this task force, please contact Blair Hedgepeth, CPHIMS, Senior Manager of Congressional Affairs.

The Congressional Affairs team also sponsors several events during the year including Congressional Briefings, National Health IT Week and Advocacy Day.

National Health IT Week
National Health IT Week is an annual collaborative forum started in 2005 where public and private sector organizations unite with the goal of fostering widespread health information technology adoption. National Health IT Week unites key constituents from associations, payers, provider groups, vendors, consumer organizations and research foundations under one banner with a call for accelerating change. 

Organizations with diverse perspectives on healthcare gather in Washington, DC, to work together under one banner with the goal of improving healthcare efficiency, quality, cost-effectiveness and patient safety through health IT.  National Health IT week is just one way to enable private industry and the public sector to strengthen relations in pursuit of the President's goal of widespread health IT adoption by 2014.

See what Members of Congress have to say about National Health IT Week:

• “National Health IT week is an important opportunity to highlight technology that has the ability to lower costs while improving quality of care,” said Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). “I am proud to offer legislation that uses technology as a critical step in making health care accessible and affordable for every family.”
• "Rhode Island has led the way on health information technology and quality reform, from Congressman Kennedy's work in the House to the Rhode Island Quality Institute's great strides in e-prescribing and intensive care unit reform," Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) said. "But America is still decades behind where we should be. We need urgent federal action to support a national health information technology system, and I'm committed to that fight."
• "Our health care system must and will change. The only question is whether we change the system, or it changes us,” said Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy (D-RI). “Moving health care into the Information Age is the critical first step to building a sustainable, high performing 21st century health care system. Let's make 2007 the year Congress commits to that future."
• "Our healthcare system is plagued by rising costs and declining quality of care,” said Congressman Dennis Moore (D-KS). “Investing in health care information technology is a common sense solution we can take to improve the quality of care, improve effectiveness and efficiency, and reduce overall health care costs. I'm proud to join my colleagues to celebrate National Health IT Week 2007, and raise awareness about this important issue."
• "EMRs improve patient safety, drive down the cost of healthcare, most importantly, save lives," said Congressman Tim Murphy (R-PA). “With the help of National Health IT Week and our other year‐long efforts, every American will be able to have an EMR within the decade."

HIMSS Advocacy Day
The cornerstone event of National Health IT Week is National Health IT Advocacy Day, held in Washington, D.C.  Started in 2002, the purpose of Advocacy Day is to advance the best use of healthcare IT to improve the quality and affordability of healthcare.  Advocacy Day participants connect with federal and congressional healthcare policymakers in a half-day discussion on current issues before traveling to Capitol Hill to discuss HIMSS Advocacy Agenda with members of Congress and their staff.  The events are capped off with a joint National Health IT Week and HIMSS Advocacy Day Networking Reception on Capitol Hill where Advocacy Award winners are announced. 

This complimentary event is available to all HIMSS members as well as persons in related professions and industries.  For many participants, Advocacy Day is the beginning of a journey to a place where healthcare becomes safer and more efficient through the effective use of healthcare IT and management systems.  Our role is to lead that change.  The time for action is now. With leadership from President Bush and Congress, healthcare IT is gaining the momentum necessary to improve quality and access to healthcare. Moreover, our nation has only four “czars” that work for the President on key national issues.

HIMSS advocates have the knowledge, expertise, experience, and skills to lead the journey to a healthier, more efficient system of healthcare for America and the world.  You are the industry’s voice on Capitol Hill, in your state capitals and legislatures, and for your city and/or county councils.  Please take the time to come to Washington and let your Members of Congress know what you do everyday is important and can help transform healthcare! 

Rapid Response Task Force
HIMSS has created a new Congressional Rapid Response Task Force to help field and fulfill the requests of Members of Congress and Congressional Staff with tight deadlines.  This task force will be the core group called to action once a “quick-turn-around” request comes into the HIMSS office.  Requests of this nature are rare but crucial to our success supporting HIMSS legislative agenda on Capitol Hill.  If you are interested in volunteering for this task force, please email Blair Hedgepeth, Senior Manager of Congressional Affairs, at bhedgepeth@himss.org.