Mosaica Partners' Kolkman to Chair HIMSS Healthcare Information Exchange Steering...( ST. PETERSBURG Fla. July 23 /- La...),Health

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., July 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Laura Kolkman, President, Mosaica Partners, a nationally recognized health information exchange consulting firm, has been selected to serve as Chair of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Healthcare Information Exchange (HIE) Steering Committee.

The HIE Steering Committee, which strives to represent all HIE stakeholders including providers, payers, vendors, consultants and life sciences, leads HIMSS' activities within the field of HIE. Its primary focus is on issues including technology, interoperability, standards utilization and harmonization. The Committee also supports HIMSS activities on the national, state and local levels.

"It is an honor to be entrusted to lead the HIE Steering Committee, particularly given the transformational nature of the work already underway by HIMSS and the healthcare industry as a whole. By making health information available and accessible when and where it is needed, we can improve the quality and delivery of care across the nation," said Kolkman.

Kolkman, whose one-year term began July 1, was appointed by the HIMSS Board of Directors following an application process that included the recruitment of candidates from HIMSS members nationwide. The appointment is testament to Kolkman's expertise and proven track record of guiding organizations in the establishment of sustainable HIEs and Regional Health Information Organizations (RHIOs).

H. Stephen Lieber, CAE, President and CEO, HIMSS, said: "Laura's staunch advocacy of health information exchange and her ability to balance the needs and interests of healthcare, technology and the community will serve HIMSS and the HIE Steering Committee well as we continue advancing toward our goal of improved delivery of care through health information exchange."

Kolkman began her career as a registered nurse before earning a master's degree in computer science. She held a variety of
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