EMRapproved Expands Marketplace And Content Network Via New Health IT Industry Partnerships

Chicago based company enhances robust offerings with contributions from HITECHAnswers.net, HealthcareITCentral.com and Semel Consulting

Chicago healthcare information technology (HIT) company EMRapproved has expanded its network with HIT-industry partners including news site HITECHAnswers.net, employment portal HealthcareITCentral.com and security experts Semel Consulting. The new partners’ expertise will enhance the company’s already robust electronic medical record (EMR) and HIT resource offerings, allowing all four companies to better serve their mutual audiences through strategic collaboration.                                                  

“The cornerstone of the EMRapproved corporate model has always been strategic partnership,” said Wendy Whitmore, EMRapproved’s founder, chief information officer and managing partner. “Over the past three years, EMRapproved leaders and staff have worked diligently to identify and aggregate influential industry players to help grow the most comprehensive online resource on the topics of EMR and HIT. We’re thrilled to bring on such credible, influential partners as part of our content delivery team.”

The partners will all bring specialized offerings to EMRapproved based on their industry expertise:

• HITECHAnswers.net is a key player in information sharing about the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act and other government initiatives aimed at encouraging healthcare providers to adopt electronic medical records. Founders Carol Flagg and Roberta Mullin, seasoned experts at simplifying the subject for HIT professionals and others trying to understand its implications, will author a daily column for EMRapproved entitled HITAnswers that will cover topics from professional HIT training to Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs. Flagg and Mullin are also involved in the day-to-day operations of EMRapproved, ensuring its stakeholders stay up to date on critical HIT issues.
• The HIT job market is suffering a shortage as federal penalties for implementing HIT loom. The leading HIT career center nationwide,HealthcareITCentral.com seeks to educate, inform and connect those with a desire to help usher in the era of electronic health records. As part of their agreement with EMRapproved, the site will now offer the company’s4Med Certification programs to assist its members in advancing their careers with professional online training.
• The rapid digitization of healthcare data has made data security an increasingly important – and perilous – task. Industry veteran Mike Semel, CSO and credentialed security guru of Semel Consulting, is an expert at explaining data security regulations and will pen a new targeted weekly column for EMRapproved that will provide Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and security updates. Titled HITSecurity, the column will help demystify the complex regulations involved with data security and focus on the most current news and guidance for EMRapproved visitors.

“Partnering with these organizations is a win not only for those involved, but for everyone in the HIT community,” explained EMRapproved CEO Kevin Donnelly. “Whether our readers and students have prior EHR experience or not, HealthcareITCentral.com, HITECHAnswers.net and Semel Consulting provide a thorough yet understandable overview of industry trends and emerging issues. We couldn’t think of better organizations to help further understanding of this field and are proud to provide access to their brain trust in one easily navigable location.”

EMRapproved has developed a new way to connect with potential sponsors and to highlight industry developments without traditional advertisements. The company’s4MedMarketplace is the premier site on the web for information, education, products and services related to EMRs and HIT. Rounding out the reciprocal benefits of these strategic alliances, both HITECHAnswers.net and HealthcareITCentral.com have embedded the new marketplace as part of their own heavily trafficked sites, providing their users a comprehensive directory for a difficult to navigate field. Support from the vendor and healthcare communities will help continue the mission of these partners to provide ongoing free resources for the advancement of HIT overall.

About EMRapproved
EMRapproved is an online resource for professionals who work with health information technology (HIT). The company provides content, community, curriculum and consulting along all stages of the electronic medical record (EMR) and health information technology (HIT) implementation process, from certification and career retraining programs; to an information-sharing and referral network for consultants through their 4MedProNetwork; to recommendations on EMR-compatible hardware and software – and a marketplace where users can buy related products and services. For more information, visit http://www.emrapproved.com/.