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Helen L. Hill has joined the IHITA Board of Directors, where she assumes the role of Director of Integration Initiatives. As such, she will use her extensive network and experience to help IHITA to develop cross-industry and cross-border solutions. The recipient of this year's John A. Page Award at HIMSS 2010, Helen brings unmatched qualifications in both policy and implementation at State and National levels. With an extensive record of service, publications, white papers and executive presentations, her reputation extends throughout Michigan and the United States. Currently the Director of IT Consulting and Health Information Exchange at the Henry Ford Health System (HFHS) in Detroit, MI, Helen brings her sense of community and service to her many memberships and senior roles in; HIMSS, ACHE, National Collaborative for HIT for the Underserved (Policy Committee), MPRO Board, Michigan Coalition for HIT (MCHIT), Southeast Michigan Health Information Exchange (SEMHIE), Southeast Michigan Beacon Community Collaborative (SEMBCC), Michigan Health Information Network (MiHIN) Governance Committee for state-level HIE, Kantara Initiative Identity Assurance Work Group, Object Management Group, HITSP and M-Women. IHITA is honored to have Helen L. Hill join our global conversation. For more information about Helen, please see her bio in the "Board" section.

IHITA is pleased to announce the newest member of our Board of Directors, Reginald Wayne Humphries, MA. Wayne has accepted the role of Director of Membership and Affiliate Relations, a Board-level position in which he will develop and manage membership and organization affiliation protocols and processes. Wayne has volunteered his time while continuing to serve the Military Health Services as a strategic communications lead. An invaluable resource of thought leadership and connection to the entire Health IT community, he is well known for his passion and support for rural telehealth policy. Wayne's sterling relationships throughout both the public and private sectors will help IHITA succeed in our goals of building the global conversation. IHITA is looking forward to his energy, his insight and to his leadership as he brings his associates to our community. For more information about Wayne, please see his bio in the "Board" section.

NAFTA is 16 years old. The health IT industry has grown exponentially in just the past 5 years. While NAFTA has encouraged the transfer and travel of products and personnel across the borders of North America, it is showing its age. Border security concerns and practices are far more complex than they were 16 years ago. While there is still strong support by all governments for the easier travel and trade by corporations and individuals, these security issues are creating challenges of identity and passage for many people. Laptops are subject to far greater scrutiny, creating concerns of patient privacy for those providers and HIT professionals traveling across borders. There are new issues of security in the electronic transfer of data. These are limiting the timely and effective communication of patient data between facilities and cross-border providers.
IHITA is now working to bring these issues to the attention of the US Canadian governments to support the development of solutions that will serve trade, healthcare and security on all sides of the borders.
We are very interested in hearing from you about about your challenges and your solutions;

IHITA has been started with the support and input of Health IT professionals from governments, organizations and private industry in Canada and the US. To begin the successful development of the organization, we have named thought-leadership and core-development experts to lay the foundations. IHITA is currently identifying and enlisting additional Boardmembers who can provide the skills, resources and commitment to bring the organization to the next level.