The Department of IT Services recently released their “Mississippi Strategic Master Plan for IT 2014-2016” relating how budgeting and funding of IT within the state government is done on an agency by agency basis. According to the plan, the goal is to find opportunities to develop and implement IT services that are common to multiple agencies and governmental programs.
One strategy would be to link Technology Blueprint (TB) and IT procurement services to be able to depict technology components for a statewide IT system. The TB would integrate information and services across agency boundaries while supporting the coordination of IT support functions. This would enable data sharing across all government functions that could use common software, hardware, communication systems, and data applications.
The objective is to optimize shared technology components including mainframe computers, email systems data centers, servers, vendor platforms, storage, help desks, applications, and networks to reduce initial purchase and ongoing maintenance costs.
For many years, the Division of Medicaid (DOM) within the state has been aware of the need for a combined Medicaid EHR system and statewide e-Prescribing system. In Mississippi, healthcare is delivered by a variety of providers working in a large array of inpatient and ambulatory settings who are using different technologies with no clearly defined interoperability.
In response to Medicaid provider needs, the state implemented the Medicaid EHR System and e-Prescribing system referred to as (MEHRS/eScript). In 2013, Medicaid worked on an ONC- ATCB Certified version of the MEHRS/eScript system to allow providers who adopt the system to qualify for Medicaid EHR Incentive payments.
In 2008, the Mississippi Coastal Health Information Exchange (MSCHIE) was implemented. The state then received Federal grant funding after formalizing an approved state plan to expand the MSCHIE pilot project’s existing infrastructure for the statewide Mississippi Health Information Network (MS-HIN).
While the MS-HIN is able to exchange health information among providers, the system also contracted with Health Information Service Provider (HISP). Through the HISP, providers even those without EHRs are able to enroll for Direct Services. While the HISP is not a robust exchange, it allows providers to meet certain Medicaid State 1 Meaningful Use criteria.
Currently, the MS-HIN has 247 organizations including 32 hospitals along with 710 providers totaling over 1400 end-users enrolled in Direct. The MS-HIN continues to collaborate with the Mississippi Department of Health to find technical solutions to expand Direct Services that would allow ambulatory providers to meet Meaningful Use criteria.
The state began the construction of the Mississippi Wireless Information Network (MSWIN) in 2007 and the MSWIN has been operational statewide since March 1, 2013. MSWIN is a statewide P-25 700 MHz Land Mobile radio 9LMR wireless communication system providing voice and data services to over 17,000 first responders across the state 24/7.
In another project, the state is working to consolidate their Microsoft Exchange/Outlook environment from the currently distributed system model to an enterprise cloud-based solution. The state wants to see existing email costs decrease so that costs will be lower for hardware, software, and personnel, and in the end, disparate email solutions could be consolidated throughout the state.
As for dealing with “big data”, the state government realizes that “big data” will continue to affect present and future IT initiatives. It is apparent in the master plan that agencies can no longer operate in silos, but must be willing to collaborate and consolidate redundant data across the enterprise to benefit from real-time analytics.
Go to www.its.ms.gov/Documents/master_plan.pdf to view the Mississippi Strategic Master Plan for IT 2014-1016. For more information, go to www.its.ms.gov or email the Executive Director for the Mississippi Department of IT Services Dr. Craig P. Orgeron at craig.orgeron@its.ms.gov.