HIMSS CEO H. Stephen Lieber spoke about the promise of health IT and collaboration Oct. 8 at the opening of the Global Center for Health Innovation in Cleveland, an initiative of local government, local healthcare providers, nonprofit organizations and health IT vendors that has been 10 years in the making.

HIMSS, a health IT nonprofit organization with more than 50,000 members, is among the collaborators and occupants. The HIMSS Innovation Center occupies all 30,000 square feet of the fourth floor – the top floor.

[See also: HIMSS Innovation Center opens its doors.]

"Today on the fourth floor of the Global Center for Health Innovation we’re opening the HIMSS Innovation Center, where we will be demonstrating the value of information technology and information exchange for patients, clinicians and all stakeholders," Lieber told an audience of about 300 people attending the opening event HIMSS.

"We want our innovation center here for three reasons," he said.

1. "We consider this space a global center of excellence. Here, all stakeholders will work together to test IT systems across the continuum of care to ensure health information can securely – and under appropriate circumstances – be exchanged electronically with patients, their caregivers, hospitals, clinical practices, retail clinics, pharmacies, payers, public health and researchers. The simulation area we are creating will be able to be accessed both physically here at the center and virtually, making the HIMSS Innovation center truly globak in scope. Our Simulation Center allows buyers, users and vendors to experience demonstrations about how various IT systems securely and appropriately exchange health information. And the technology showcase, which is also a part of our space, features health technology innovations from all over the world.

2. "The Center provides a collaborative setting, a philosophy that is also vital to HIMSS, the spirit with which we engage in all our activities. Our collaborators help support the value and benefits IT brings to patient care, Without our collaborators it would be impossible to demonstrate the interoperability of health IT systems, a we appreciate their commitment and engagement."

(The HIMSS Innovation Center Charter Collaborators are Alego Health, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Fujitsu, IHE USA, ICSA Labs, Total Voice Technologies, Cardinal Health, Juniper Networks and Concur).

[See also: HIMSS Innovation Center slated for October opening in Cleveland.]

3. "The Innovation Center creates a permanent facility for health IT demonstration and testing. The setting is truly a year-round destination for a variety of audiences – from patients, providers and caregivers wanting to better understand how sharing of health information actually works, to nonprofit or public sector stakeholders committed to seamless, accurate and secure exchange, to consultants and vendors wanting to introduce new products and services.

"Our decision to be a part of GCHI follows 14 years of thought leadership and significant human resource and financial commitment by HIMSS dedicated to ensuring that the right information is available at the right time to the right patient," Lieber concluded. "As a leader in interoperability, standards and harmonization initiatives, we want to further our cause to bring quality safety, cost effectiveness and access to care through the best  use of information technology."