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Today I got an email from HIMSS stating that they’ve launched a “complimentary afilliate membership program for RECs.” Looks like HIMSS wants to be able to influence help these RECs with their resources and perspectives. So far they’ve only signed up 10 regional extension centers to the program. Here’s the list that signed up so you can know if you’re REC has joined up with HIMSS:

• HITArkansas
• Colorado Regional Extension Center
• Illinois Health Information Tech Regional Extension Center
• CHITREC
• HealthBridge
• Massachusetts eHealth Institute
• Wide River Technology Extension Center
• Monroe County Medical Society
• North Texas Regional Extension Center
• Michigan Center for Effective IT Adoption

The good news is that this is only 10 of the 60 or so RECs out there. I can’t blame them. HIMSS conference attendance is expensive and free is much better.

I guess I just have a real mixed feeling about HIMSS. As a self proclaimed physican advocate myself, I think that HIMSS has too much EMR vendor influence to be a true physician advocate. I think that being physician advocates is key to successful EMR adoption and will be essential to any REC’s success.

Related posts:

1. Analysis of REC Funding
2. REC Transparency in EHR Selection Process
3. HIMSS 10 Early Registration Ends Today
4. HIMSS, CCHIT and Meaningful Use
5. REC Grants