ICH+-+Introduction+to+the+Initiative+Coordinator+Handbook

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1.1 Background
The Standards and Interoperability (S&I) Framework supports national health outcomes and healthcare priorities to ensure better patient care, population health, and cost reduction through delivery improvements. The S&I Framework aims to create health standards through Initiatives, each consisting of participants and committed members focused on a single challenge and a set of value-creating goals. Initiatives have a unique community-based organizational structure, comprised of geographically diverse members, working together through online collaboration technologies, such as Wikispaces, WebEx, and various social media websites. Due to the nature of community-led initiatives and workgroups, it is critical that community leaders understand the S&I Framework processes, best practices, and tools.

1.2 Audience
The primary audience of the Initiative Coordinator Handbook is S&I Framework community participants who are currently engaged in or aspiring to take on leadership roles in one or more workgroups. Additionally, the audience also includes participants who are interested in becoming familiar with the processes and best practices of the S&I Framework.

1.3 Purpose and Content
The purpose of this document is to provide further insight into the best practices and available tools of the Standards and Interoperability Framework. Effective guidelines can be found related to the following topics: Conducting an Effective Meeting, Stakeholder Engagement, Pre-Discovery, etc. These themes in combination provide a holistic view of the experiences and opinions of participants, contractors, and committed members.