New Johns Hopkins Center to use IT for focus on population health

Johns Hopkins University has established a new center aimed at improving and expanding the use of EHR systems, e-health and IT. The Johns Hopkins Center for Population Health IT (CPHIT, pronounced "see-fit") will seek to meld faculty expertise in public health, medicine, informatics, computer science, business and systems engineering to focus on helping public health agencies and private healthcare organizations use e-health tools to increase the efficiency and equity of healthcare delivery, according to a release.

Citing the “most expansive digitalization of healthcare in history” currently underway, Jonathan Weiner, DrPH, professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and director of CPHIT, said the plan is for the center to harness IT to "create solutions for the many population health issues facing our nation.”     

CPHIT will be based within the Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Department of Health, Policy and Management but will involve faculty from the School of Medicine, Whiting School of Engineering, Carey Business School at Johns Hopkins University, as well as the Johns Hopkins Health System.

CPHIT is also launching the Johns Hopkins CPHIT Industry Partners Program to develop alliances with private companies interested in using IT to support population health. DST Health Solutions is the first founding member of this partners program. DST will provide financial support for CPHIT and a company executive will serve on its advisory board. Members of the program will have access to CPHIT’s research and development, including research findings and newly developed technologies.
Beth Walsh,

Editor

Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.

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