Open Source – HLN Consulting, LLC

HLN Releases Update to its Award Winning Open Source Immunization Forecaster

by Noam Arzton March 11, 2019

On March 7, 2019, HLN released a new version (v1.16.1) of the Immunization Calculation Engine (ICE). ICE is a state-of-the-art open-source software system that provides clinical decision support for immunizations for use in Immunization Information Systems (IIS), Electronic Health Record (EHR) and Personal Health Record (PHR) Systems.

This version includes:

DTP Vaccine Group: Added an update to the “Six by Seven” rule to explicitly state that duplicate shots on the same day do not count towards this rule. The intention of this change is to prevent potentially “bad data” that may be passed into the ICE service from affecting the forecast result.
Hib Vaccine Group: Improved handling of duplicate shots administered on the same day. For details, please refer to the Two Shots, Same Vaccine Group, Same Day Exception Rules page.
Minor logic changes to the Meningococcal B, Polio, Rotavirus and Pneumococcal vaccine groups.

HLN recently demonstrated ICE integrated into two EHRs at the HIMSS19 Interoperability Showcase starting in February in Orlando, FL.

The full software release is available for download at https://cdsframework.atlassian.net/wiki/display/ICE/Downloads. A revised ICE Implementation Guide is also available.

See the feature article about ICE in Open Health News.

HLN Releases New Version of its Award Winning Open Source Immunization Forecaster

by Noam Arzton February 4, 2019

On February 1, 2019, HLN released a new version (v1.15.1) of the Immunization Calculation Engine (ICE). ICE is a state-of-the-art open-source software system that provides clinical decision support for immunizations for use in Immunization Information Systems (IIS), Electronic Health Record (EHR) and Personal Health Record (PHR) Systems.

This version includes a new 2-dose Adult Series in the Hep B vaccine group with support for the HEPLISAV-B vaccine and logic updates and fixes to the Meningococcal B, HPV, Influenza, Polio and DTP vaccine groups. A revised ICE Implementation Guide (v3r1; and v3r1 with changes highlighted since version 1.14.1) includes a new evaluation reason: SELECT_ADJUVANT_PRODUCT_INTERVAL.

HLN will be demonstrating ICE integrated into two EHRs at the HIMSS19 Interoperability Showcase starting on February 12 in Orlando, FL.

The full software release is available for download at https://cdsframework.atlassian.net/wiki/display/ICE/Downloads.

See Press Release.

See the feature article about ICE in Open Health News.

HLN to Participate in HIMSS19 Interoperability Showcase

by Noam Arzton January 16, 2019

For the third straight year, HLN Consulting will participate in the Interoperability Showcase at this year’s HIMSS19 Global Conference and Exhibition which is being held in Orlando, FL from February 11-15, 2019. The Showcase itself runs on February 12-14. This year HLN will participate in two use cases:

Immunization Integration & CDS: HLN’s award-winning ICE Immunization Evaluation and Forecasting System will be featured supporting two different EHRs as a sample patient moves through a scenario of lifelong immunizations.

Opioid Crisis, the Person & the Population: HLN’s Reportable Conditions Knowledge Management System (RCKMS) will be featured as the decision support component of electronic case reporting (eCR) in this scenario about drug overdose.

Come see us in Hall F, Booth 9100 at the Orange County Convention Center.

See full press release and the feature article about ICE in Open Health News!

HHS Releases Landmark Report: Reforming America’s Healthcare System

by Noam Arzton January 6, 2019

On December 3, 2018, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released an extensive, 120-page report on the administration’s proposals to reform the healthcare system. The report, titled Reforming America’s Healthcare System Through Choice and Competition, is divided into four major sections. The report that government policy of the last few years has suppressed competition, increased prices for healthcare, and limited choices for consumers. Though rich in detail as it tries to prove each of these points, the more than fifty recommendations are often broad and aspirational rather than practical.

Since I am not a health economist, I will leave the market issues to others to discuss (many of the ideas in this report have been vetted and discussed by others previously). But there are two sections of the report which make direct mention of Health IT.

CDC Issues National Test Collaborative RFI

by Noam Arzton December 5, 2018

In October the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Request for Information (RFI) for a Natural Test Collaborative (NTC). Through a series of questions, the RFI seeks opinions and information about “The development of a national testbed (notionally called the National Test Collaborative (NTC)) for real-world testing of health information technology (IT)” and “Approaches for creating a sustainable infrastructure” to achieve it. The scope of the questions is somewhat confusing and quite broad, starting with Clinical Decision Support (CDS) and electronic Clinical Quality Measures (eCQMs) but quickly expanding to Electronic Health Records (EHR) and interoperability (not precisely defined).