For more information, please contact:
Tim O'Connor, UNMC Public Relations, (402) 559-4690 (402) 650-7063
Deb Bass, NeHII, Inc., (402) 981-7664
February 03, 2011
Dr. Harris Frankel Receives Prestigious National Award
Recognized for his work with health information exchange in Nebraska
The eHealth Initiative (eHI), a national organization committed to quality, safety, and efficiency of health care through information technology, has honored Harris Frankel, M.D., with its eHealth Physician Advocate of the Year Award.
Dr. Frankel is president of the Nebraska Health Information Initiative (NeHII, Inc.), Nebraska'a statewide integrator for health information exchange. A private practice, board-certified neurologist, Dr. Frankel also is a clinical associate professor in the University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Neurological Sciences.
Dr. Frankel received the award for his leadership and commitment to technological advancements leading to the implementation of NeHII. Beginning in 2005, Dr. Frankel championed the development of NeHII and led its pilot implementation in March 2009. Under his direction, NeHII has grown to encompass 60 percent of the Nebraska population.
"Dr. Frankel's tireless effort in bringing both physicians and consumers into the NeHII program is commendable," said Nebraska Govenor Dave Heineman. "NeHII is a perfect example of how technology and citizens alike can provide better efficiency and accessibility and improve safety and security in the delivery of health care. Dr. Frankel has served as a catalyst in bringing these important components together to realize the benefits of NeHII."
Dr. Frankel is immediate past president of the Metropolitan Omaha Medical Society and has served on the boards of multiple professional and community organizations. He is on the active staff of several Omaha area hospitals and is a key member of UNMC's Health Care Reform Committee.
"Dr. Frankel's outstanding leadership and accomplishments exemplify the unique ability of physicians to effect significant positive change on behalf of their patients," said Jennifer Covich Bordenick, CEO of eHI.
"As a participating physician, I have seen the value of health information exchange in clinical practice," Dr. Frankel said. "The ability to aggregate patient health information from disparate sources enhances the quality, efficiency, and safety of the medical care I provide to my patients and allows for improved coordination of care, while reducing unnecessary and duplicative testing."
Dr. Frankel received the award on January 19th during the Fourth Annual eHealth Conference and Awards Reception in Washington, D.C.
About eHealth InitiativeThe eHealth Initiative is an independent, non-profit affiliated organization whose mission is to drive improvement in the quality, safety, and efficiency of health care through information and information technology. The organization is focused on engaging multiple and diverse stakeholders, including hospitals and other health care organizations, clinical groups, consumer and patient groups, employers and purchasers, health plans, health care information technology organizations, manufacturers, public health agencies, academic and research institutions, and public sector stakeholders, to define and then implement specific actions that will address the quality, safety and efficiency challenges of our health care system through the use of interoperable information technology. For more information, go to http://ehealthinitiative.org/2011-ehealth-award-recipients.html