ACR Image Metrix, an imaging contract research organization based in Philadelphia, has completed its second year of operation.

Its hard to believe that 9 months ago the term meaningful use wasnt in our everyday vocabulary. Now it is top of mind and a topic of nearly every health IT strategy meeting. While a final definition isnt now expected until Q2 2010, for sure it will include reporting quality measures and being able to share information among clinics, hospitals and government health agencies.

Since the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) in February, much debate and a flurry of activity has centered on the economic encouragement offered to healthcare providers for the adoption and use of EMRs.

WellStar Health Systema not-for-profit system in Atlanta comprised of five hospitals and a 400-physician group practiceis dedicated to providing world-class healthcare for a community of 600,000.

Meaningful use. Learn those two words. Understand them. They likely will consume our professional lives for years to comeif they havent already begun to. Meaningful use is, of course, the standard by which hospitals and medical practice will qualify for federal stimulus funding for adopting electronic health records. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, the health IT portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, calls for providers to demonstrate meaningful use of health IT starting in 2011.

The International Health Terminology Standards Development Organization (IHTSDO) and the openEHR Foundation have begun a collaborative program on developing clinical terminologies and archetype-based EHR structures.

As physicians, we have a profound influence on others who look to us for leadership. If clinical leaders are disengaged and misaligned with an organizational mission, change strategies can fail before they begin. Where physicians go, the rest of the organization will followand the most successful healthcare leaders in the nation have figured this out.

Interoperabilitymaking disparate information systems communicate with each otherrepresents a tremendous undertaking for every 21st century healthcare provider. At the same time, it is a business essential. Whos got the right strategy? Check out some options