November Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer Recap: An Overview of Site Readiness and Training

by Jeanette Kompkoff, Director, Division of Health Information Technology Modernization and Operations, Office of Information Technology, Indian Health Service

December 4, 2024

The Indian Health Service Health Information Technology Modernization Program hosted the last tribal consultation and urban confer session of 2024 on November 7. The session attracted more than 200 attendees who participated virtually and in-person at IHS headquarters in Rockville, Maryland. Focused on site readiness and training, the session introduced the integrated readiness and training approach that has been developed to prepare sites for implementation of our new enterprise electronic health record (EHR) solution, PATH EHR.

Supporting Figure Nov TCUC Recap Blog Post

November 2024 tribal consultation and urban confer participants by IHS Area

Chief Information Officer Mitchell Thornbrugh provided Modernization Program updates, emphasizing our current progress within the “Buy and Build” phase of the program timeline. The Division of Health Information Technology Modernization and Operations (DHITMO) team is working with subject matter experts across IHS, tribal, and urban Indian organizations to build PATH EHR to gather enterprise-level design requirements that meet the specific service needs of its users.

Deputy CIO Andrea Scott recapped the DHITMO teams’ visit to Lawton Service Unit, which was recently announced as the first pilot site for implementing PATH EHR. She emphasized how this initial pilot site visit plays a critical role in ensuring a mutual understanding of the services and needs at the three facilities within the Lawton Service Unit in preparation for PATH EHR implementation.

Chief Medical Information Officer Dr. Howard Hays provided updates on the Enterprise Collaboration Group (ECG), the user-focused body of professionals that will inform PATH EHR configuration. He announced the 15 Domain Group chairs and shared that the ECG will launch configuration workshops in early 2025 to support the enterprise build of PATH EHR.

I was also able to share how the program will support technical and human focused readiness before and throughout the implementation process. I emphasized the importance of creating the readiness and training framework to support local management, standardization, and usability. This will be achieved through activities, informational materials, and resources that prepare site leaders, administrative support staff, and EHR end-users with the knowledge to manage organizational change and empower them with skill sets to use PATH EHR.

The tribal consultation and urban confer session concluded with open dialogue between DHITMO leaders and federal, tribal, and urban Indian organization partners. Attendees asked questions related to site readiness, real-life training scenarios, and cohort implementation timing. We appreciate the conversations with our partners and their willingness to share feedback for configuring and implementing PATH EHR. The November consultation and confer presentation can be viewed on the website here.

Stay Connected with the Health IT Modernization Program

	Watch for 2025 Tribal Consultation/Urban Confer Sessions The Health IT Modernization Program is committed to connecting and collaborating with our partners through informative tribal consultation and urban confer sessions and open forums in future sessions. Be on the lookout for the Dear Tribal Leader Letter and Dear Urban Indian Organization Leader Letter announcing the dates and topics for 2025 sessions. We will also include registration details on our website once available.
	Statement of Interest (SOI) We invite our partners to complete a non-binding document to help IHS understand which tribal and urban sites are interested in becoming part of the PATH EHR partnership. The SOI form may be submitted by email to modernization@ihs.gov at any time. Federal sites are not required to complete the SOI form.
	Health IT Modernization Awareness Survey The Health IT Modernization Program Awareness Survey intends to measure the effectiveness of the program's communications, assess our partners' awareness and perception regarding PATH EHR, and determine tribal and urban partners' interest in actively participating in program initiatives. The input you provide through this survey provides the IHS invaluable information to better understand the reach of our engagement efforts across Indian Country and how we can continue to circulate information about the PATH EHR implementation. Take the survey here.
	Connect with us! Visit the website for more information about the IHS Health IT Modernization Program Sign up to receive the IHS Biweekly Updates for Tribes and Tribal and Urban Indian Organizations Sign up to receive Health IT Modernization Program email updates through the listserv Read IHS Blog posts on the Modernization Program Follow IHS on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly known as Twitter) to stay up to date on events, collaboration opportunities, and general program updates

Jeanette Kompkoff, Director, Division of Health Information Technology Modernization and Operations, Office of Information Technology, Indian Health Service

Jeanette Kompkoff serves as the director of the Division of Health Information Technology Modernization and Operations within the IHS Office of Information Technology. This division was established to oversee the Health IT Modernization Program and provide strategic guidance to align the goals of the program with the IHS mission. As director, Kompkoff provides oversight and management of software development and maintenance, while also managing deployment, staff training, and maintenance of numerous health IT applications and major electronic health record system updates.

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