INSIDE CHIME: Understanding AEHIS, AEHIA, AEHIT and Why It Matters

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9.24.15 by Charles Christian, FCHIME, LCHIME, CHCIO, FHIMSS
CHIME Board of Trustees chair; vice president of technology and engagement, Indiana Health Information Exchange

Over the past two years, CHIME has launched new forums where leaders in security, technology and applications can come together to solve some of our organizations’ most daunting challenges. The growth of these groups does not represent a shifting of CHIME’s core mission — serving healthcare CIOs. The board and staff will not waiver from that.

Nothing in healthcare happens in a vacuum. As an integral part of the C-suite, we know that nearly every aspect of the delivery system is now — or about to be — connected in some way. Payment reform, population health, consumerism, security and a host of other issues coming our way necessitate that we break down silos that still exist in our organizations. We can’t expect to move the delivery system forward and advance patient care if we aren’t all pointed in the same direction.

As busy CIOs trying to grabble with this fast-changing environment, we’ve experienced firsthand the tremendous benefits that an organization like CHIME delivers. From Boot Camp and CIO Forums to networking and sharing of best practices, CHIME offers an array of professional development opportunities.

Hearing from many in the field that a void existed for other parts of the health IT team, CHIME set out over the past two years to create forums where leaders in security, technology and applications can similarly come together and collaborate on ways to solve some of our organizations’ most daunting challenges. The Association for Executives in Healthcare Information Technology (AEHIT), the Association for Executives in Healthcare Information Applications (AEHIA) and the Association for Executives in Healthcare Information Security (AEHIS) provide invaluable educational and professional development resources.

As these groups have grown, there’s been some concern that CHIME is shifting from its core mission of serving healthcare CIOs. That couldn’t be further from the truth. CHIME remains steadfastly committed to CIOs and being your association. The board and staff will not waiver from that. However, as executives, we need to ensure that our staff grow so that they can help our organizations meet the challenges of today’s complex healthcare environment.

One of the things I value most about my CHIME membership is knowing that I have a group of peers whom I can turn to for counsel. We speak the same language; we know each other’s pain points.

AEHIS, AEHIA and AEHIT aim to offer key parts of our teams that same collaborative environment. And we know there’s a need. Already, AEHIA has 207 members, AEHIS boasts 408 members, and 185 CTOs have joined AEHIT. Collectively, 470 different healthcare organizations are represented in the membership groups, the majority coming from acute care hospitals, ambulatory facilities and integrated delivery networks. Roughly 20 percent of members are from small or rural hospitals, including critical access hospitals.

Let’s be clear about something: these are not a subcategory of a CHIME membership. The AEHIS, AEHIA and AEHIT groups have their own membership criteria and run their own educational and professional development programming. The benefit in having them connected organizationally to CHIME — rather than some outside group — is that these specialists are integral parts of our teams in the workplace.

Throughout my 20-plus years as a CHIME member, I’ve received advice from other CIOs that money just can’t buy. Investing in CSOs, CTOs and CAOs in the same way will only serve to strengthen our organizations and improve patient care as we move forward.

To learn more about AEHIS, AEHIA and AEHIT, I encourage you to check out the association websites, or contact staff with any questions.

More Inside CHIME Volume 1, No. 1: