Health Informatics Information Technology

Submit Abstract

Health Informatics Information Technology (HIIT) is a newly created Special Primary Interest Group (SPIG) in the American Public Health Association (APHA). Our mission is to improve the public’s health and facilitate prevention through innovative and effective information technology and informatics applications.

APHA 136th Annual Meeting and Exposition will be convened on October 25-29, 2008, in San Diego, CA. The 2008 theme is “Public Health Without Borders.”

HIIT invites abstracts (250-300 word maximum) related to the following topics:
  • Achieving Service Improvement Through Public Health Informatics
  • Assessing Health Risks and Benefits: The Role of Health Informatics
  • Bioethical Issues in Public Health Informatics
  • Building and Developing Guidelines for Core Competencies in Informatics/Information Technology
  • Computational Methods for Data Collection and Reporting
  • Curriculum Development Initiatives and Certification Guidelines in Informatics/IT
  • Data Mining Technologies and Applications
  • Developing National Standards for Interoperability
  • Effectiveness of Information Technology in Patient Education
  • Electronic Health Records (EHRs): A Role in Eliminating Health Disparities
  • Emerging Applications in Nanotechnology and Nanoinformatics
  • GIS Mapping, Global Health Surveillance and Public Policy
  • Global Health Informatics Capacity Building and Disease Surveillance
  • Health Informatics and HIPAA Compliance: Privacy/Confidentiality
  • Health Information Technology and Health Care Reform
  • Improving Health Literacy Through Health Informatics and Health Information Technology
  • Innovations in Health Information Technology
  • Innovative Models for Electronic Health Records
  • Interactive Computer Games and Their Impacts on Health
  • Overcoming Barriers to Establishing Public Health Informatics Systems
  • PHR Innovations: Cultural and Linguistic Accessibility Health Care, and Management by People with Disabilities
  • Policies Governing Public Health Informatics and Health Information Technology Across Borders
  • Policies Governing Use of Robotics in Health Service Delivery
  • Promoting Wellness Across the Life Span Using Health Information Technology
  • The Role of Information Technology in Genomics Discoveries
  • Twenty-first Century Advances in Telemedicine/Telehealth
  • Use of Computer Grid Intelligence to Address Global Public Health Threats
  • e-Learning and Cultural Competence Education for Public Health Professionals
Please note that the deadline for submission of all abstracts to HIIT is Thursday, February 14, 2008, 11:59 pm (PST).

Abstracts must be submitted electronically through the APHA website. Structured abstracts are required for research presentations. All research abstracts should be organized with five sections: (1) background; (2) objective/purpose; (3) methods; (4) results; and (5) discussion/conclusions. Do not include references or citations in the text of the abstract. All abstracts must be submitted with at least three learning objectives in the proper APHA format (i.e., “By the end of the session, the participant will be able to….”). Please check the abstract title (only capitalize the first letter and proper nouns per APHA guidelines) and text for spelling and grammatical errors. Do not include your name or contact information in the text portion as this prohibits blind peer review. Failure to adhere to the guidelines may result in your abstract being rejected. If you are unable to identify a specific session for your abstract, please submit it under “Other.” Lastly, all abstracts should contain sufficient details to fully evaluate the scientific value of the work rather than alluding to what “will be” included in the presentation. Abstracts that do not adhere to these requirements will not be reviewed. Please contact the program planner if you have any questions.

Abstracts will be peer reviewed based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of topics to HIIT as well as to APHA.
• Clearly written and conveys essence of research.
• Innovative and state-of-the-art information.
• Addresses underserved populations.
• Advances the field of health informatics and information technology.
• Overall impression of abstract description.

Following are instructions for submitting a proposal for an entire session:

(1) Submit each abstract separately (up to four abstracts per session) to the same topic area. If a session proposal includes abstracts submitted to multiple topic areas, the session proposal will be considered incomplete.

(2) Contact the program planner (Mildred.Hunter@hhs.gov or 312-353-1386) with: (a) a brief overview of the session (including relevance to health informatics information technology); (b) at least three proposed learning objectives in APHA format for the entire session (all individuals abstracts that are part of the proposed session must have individual learning objectives); and (c) the title, first author, and abstract number of all abstracts to be included in the session.

Session proposals may also include suggestions for moderators (name and contact information). Session proposals that do not adhere to these requirements will not be considered. Please contact the program planner if you have any questions.

Only listed authors who are both APHA members and registered for the Annual Meeting may present accepted work. Only one author may present each abstract; multiple presenters for one abstract will not be accepted. Neither APHA nor HIIT can provide any financial support (including, but not limited to, registration, airfare, lodging, etc.) for author attendance at the Annual Meeting.

Those interested in joining HIIT are encouraged to contact Dr. Diane L. Adams at dla8315@aol.com or 301-570-0387. All members are invited to submit abstracts to HIIT. Submitting an abstract to Health Informatics Information Technology SPIG implies that you understand the terms of this Call for Abstracts.
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HIIT’s Definitions:

Health Information technology refers to computational systems that perform a variety of information functions including: organizing, analyzing and technically evaluating health information; compiling various administrative and health statistics; and using ICD-9-CM, CPT, SNOMED, LOINC, etc.

Health Informatics is the science of information management in healthcare, and its application to support clinical practice, decision-making and research.

Public Health Informatics is the development, implementation and, management of population based public health information systems and infrastructures for: surveillance system development, group utilization analysis, program outcome and quality assurance, public health systems analysis, and evidence-based disease management.

Bioinformatics is research, development, or application of computational tools and approaches for expanding the use of biological, medical, or behavioral or health data including those to acquire, store, organize, archive, analyze, or visualize such data.
Submit Abstract

Program Planner Contact Information:
Mildred C. Hunter, MSW, MPH
US Department of Health & Human Services
233 N. Michigan Ave.
Suite 1300
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: 312-353-1386
mildred.hunter@hhs.gov

and
Byron Sogie-Thomas, MS
Director, Health Policy
National Medical Association
1012 Tenth St., NW
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-207-1541
bsogie-thomas@nmanet.org

and
Diane L. Adams, MD, MPH, CHS-III
Consultant, Georgia Centers for Advanced Telecommunications Technology (GCATT)
Founder, Health Informatics Information Technology (HIIT) Group of the American Public Health Association (APHA)
17032 Barn Ridge Drive
Silver Spring, MD 20906
Phone: 301-570-0387
Fax: 301-570-4976
dla8315@aol.com

and
Sandra A. Worrell, MS
Office of Organizational & Skill Development
University of Connecticut
925 Housatonic Avenue
Bridgeport, CT 06606
Phone: (203) 367-5660
Fax: same
sandraworrell@sbcglobal.net