Winter 2015New Feature – Showcasing our HIMSS SoCal Organizational Affiliates
First up is Scripps Health in San Diego!
by Karen Kennedy and Dianne Baker, HIMSS SoCal Marketing and Communications Committee Members
Our HIMSS SoCal Marketing and Communications team is continually looking to expand the value of this Chapter’s communication to our members. In this Quarter’s Newsletter, we are pleased to introduce a new feature for our Newsletter showcasing our Chapter’s Organizational Affiliates.
Organizational affiliates, or "OAs", as we refer to these members, represent our numerous provider organizations throughout our Southern California region. To understand why this is important to our national HIMSS organization and our Chapter, it's important to understand what these affiliates are and what they do. As an Organizational Affiliate, provider organizations extend the many benefits of a HIMSS membership to all their valued employees. We decided to get in touch with some of our OA Chapter members to better understand the value they have received from engaging and participating in their local HIMSS Southern California Chapter.
One of our Marketing and Communications Committee members, Karen Kennedy, reached out to her OA Member organization, Scripps Health in San Diego, to secure feedback from several of her fellow OA members. In our first article, these members share the value they have received from their HIMSS OA Membership. We welcome feedback from other Organizational Affiliates and encourage your participation in our upcoming Newsletters.
ABOUT SCRIPPS HEALTH
Founded in 1924 by philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps, Scripps Health is a nonprofit integrated health system based in San Diego, California. Scripps treats a half-million patients annually through the dedication of 2,600 affiliated physicians and 13,750 employees among its five acute-care hospital campuses, hospice and home health care services, and an ambulatory care network of physician offices and 25 outpatient centers and clinics.
Recognized as a leader in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, Scripps is also at the forefront of clinical research, genomic medicine and wireless health care. With three highly respected graduate medical education programs, Scripps is a longstanding member of the Association of American Medical Colleges. In 2014, Truven Health Analytics named Scripps one of the top five large health systems in the nation for the third year, and Scripps hospitals are consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the nation’s best. Scripps is regularly recognized by Fortune, Working Mother magazine and AARP as one of the best places in the nation to work. More information can be found at www.scripps.org.
A brief interview with Clark Kegley starts us off:
Clark Kegley, Asst. Vice President, Information Services, Scripps Health - San Diego
How has being a HIMSS Chapter member helped you in your work?
There are many examples of where I have reached out to the local HIMSS chapter or national HIMSS for feedback on some specific initiative, regulation or other item. The information is always very helpful and timely.
How has the organization benefited from being an OA?
I believe that the OA classification benefits Scripps by providing membership to all employees. That then gives them access to the education, programs, and networking opportunities provided by HIMSS locally and nationally.
Is there anything you would like to expand about the OA program?
Perhaps more information provided to the OA members to be distributed to employees articulating the benefits.
Are there any additional comments you have for other provider organizations thinking about becoming an OA?
It is a very good way to scale HIMSS membership and involvement.
Shane Thielman, FACHE, Assistant Vice President, Medical Management
The OA benefit is a fantastic way for an organization to encourage its employees from leaders to front-line staff to engage in HIMSS and its many offerings and programs while demonstrating a commitment to operationalizing the value of health IT in an evolving health care delivery environment.
Holly Salazar, Director, Acute EMR, Medical Management
The HIMSS OA Program has benefited Scripps tremendously by providing easy access to HIMSS education, certification discounts, and networking opportunities for all employees. The diverse nature of the free, high quality educational opportunities allow for staff from all disciplines to learn best practices from the industry and to find a connection between healthcare IT and their own line of work.
Karen P. Kennedy, RN, MBA, Clinical Informatics Nurse (CIN), Health Information Services
Being a Clinical Informatics Nurse (CIN), it is extremely important to have up-to-date information in healthcare and specifically related to informatics. The fact that Scripps Health is a HIMSS Organizational Affiliate (OA) enables us to not only connect with our community but also to keep abreast of innovative initiatives and standards that are key to our organization.