Nursing Informatics and Technology Expert Panel

This expert panel gathers health policy data and information, then disseminates information, advises and represents the AAN on issues related to:  health information management, implementation of informatics and technology through EHRs and PHRs (Electronic and Personal Health Records), HIPAA, patient safety initiatives, consumer and personal health, workforce issues and training, bioterrorism and biosurveillance, evidence-based practice, clinical decision support and other areas of concern related to the use of informatics and technology in nursing education, practice and research.

Inaugural Year: 2002

Current Chairs:

Kathryn Bowles, PhD, RN, FAAN (Co-Chair)
Professor
University of Pennsylvania
1435 Wynnemoor Way
Fort Washington, PA 19034
(215) 898-0323
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Lillee Gelinas, MSN, RN, FAAN (Co-Chair)
Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer
VHA, Inc.
220 E. Las Colinas Blvd.
Irving, TX  75039
(972) 830- 0239
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Thomas Clancy, MBA, PhD, RN, FAAN (Co Chair)
Clinical Professor and Assistant Dean
University of Minnesota, School of Nursing
4-153 Weaver Densford Hall, 308 Harvard Ave SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
612-626-2102
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

AAN Staff: Cheryl Sullivan

Board Liaison: Eileen Sullivan-Marx

Previous Chairs: Virginia Saba (2002), Ida Androwich (2002), Kathleen Malloch (2005), Diane S. Pravikoff (2005), Bonnie Wesorick (2011), Gail Latimer (2012)

Frequency of Meetings: Annually in person. The chair and co-chair, secretary and previous chair met monthly

Publications: No publications to date.

Summary:
The mission of this panel is to be on the cutting edge of informatics and technology in order to influence national priorities such as ‘meaningful use’ in the context of health care reform.  The investment of ARRA funds in informatics and technology has increased the impact and involvement of the informatics expert panel members in national leadership, policy, practice, education and research agendas.  Members of this panel sit at key policy tables at the national level and have been nominated to represent the AAN in both legislative and regulatory arenas.  The panel responded to the call for white papers, testimony and urgent meetings to ensure that nursing’s voice is well-represented.  Additionally, the panel repeatedly sought ways to assist other Expert Panels and groups to enhance the use and advance the mission of other panels where increasingly informatics and technology were relevant.  The informatics and Technology Pre-Conference is one example of the panel’s commitment to respond to the needs expressed last year at the annual meeting for more interaction with our Expert Panel. 

Many members of this Expert Panel are connected to multiple inter-professional organizations impacting technology and informatics and bring diverse expertise back to the AAN.  The panel hopes to educate AAN members and leadership about the relationship of informatics and technology to topics such as:  patient safety, quality care monitoring, workforce development, HIPAA, healthcare management, implementation of informatics and technology through EHRs and PHRs (Electronic and Personal Health Records), biosurviellance and bioterrorism, consumer and personal health, clinical decision support and evidence-based practice, individualized/personalized healthcare from pre-birth to death, coordination of care across the continuum, future policy research and personalized medicine (genomics).  With the broad impact of policy changes being implemented between now and 2015 or later through Health and Human Services (HHS) there is almost no aspect of healthcare that are not relevant to the activities of this Expert Panel on Informatics and Technology.  This expert panel is and has provided leadership and been responsive to changing healthcare needs, health policy and has been available for national and local service to assure the voice of nursing is well represented, informed and influential. 

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