RPMS & VistA in Hawaii and across the Pacific Rim

Over the years, Hawaii has given rise to a number of notable individuals and organizations that have played a key role in collaboratively developing and implementing innovative ‘open’ health IT initiatives. Here's a quick update on some of the latest activities related to the implementation of the open source VistA and RPMS electronic health record (EHR) systems in both the state of Hawaii and other island nations and territories across the Pacific rim.

• The Kahuku Medical Center (KMC), a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, has attested to Stage 1 'Meaningful Use' using the open source Indian Health Service (IHS) Resource & Patient Management System (RPMS). This effort was funded under a grant from the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) to the State of Hawaii Department of Health.  The center was recently visited by the Regional Extension Center (REC) program officer from the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) within the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). 
• Also,  the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) is in the process of implementing the open source RPMS electronic health record (EHR) system in the Commonwealth Health Center (CHC) and the Tinian and Rota clinics.  CHC is a unified medical center located in Saipan which accommodates inpatient and outpatient services, emergency care, public health and dental services, hemodialysis and other ancillary and diagnostic services and administrative offices.  The CHC is enabling the use of the RPMS through a "Network Development Grant" to the new Kagman Community Health Center (CHC) and other private providers.  - See related news item about the TASI EHR Team.
• The Territory of Guam is also implementing the open source RPMS system in their two Regional Community Health Centers under the Department of Public Health & Social Services.
• The Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) Tropical Medical Center in Pago Pago, American Samoa, continues to use the open source VistA system they successfully deployed over 7 years ago. Open Health News (OHN) reported on this several years ago. - See the news story on American Samoa & VistA.  

Some key organizations in Hawaii involved in leading the way in developing and deploying open source eHealth solutions include the Pacific Telehealth & Technology Hui (http://www.pacifichui.org/hui/index.html) and the University of Hawaii Telecommunications & Information Policy Group (http://tipg.net).  Hawaii continues to be a leader in the field of interoperable and open source health IT solutions and has willingly shared their solutions with other states.