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· Company
Overview
· Developed
for Public Health
· At
the community level
· Applying
business techniques to Public Health
· Involved
in Community, State and CDC
· With
broad support from key entities
Company
Overview
In
an era where repackaging and repositioning to expand distribution channels and
increase market share are the order of the day, KIPHS, Inc. has maintained a
unique and viable choice of depth over breadth. KIPHS develops software for the
sole purpose of providing information systems solutions exclusively for public
health.
KIPHS
is not software that was originally targeted at other markets, then revised to
fit public health--KIPHS is a public health software, and has been since its
inception.
The
determined focus of KIPHS information system software development extends a step
further in functionality by providing solutions at the community level--an area
that is deemed most critical to building a solid national public health
information infrastructure. This grassroots concept reflects the idea that we
consider ourselves in a long-term partnership with our clients rather than a
vendor/customer relationship.
While
some software developers may shrink from the challenge of providing information
system software solutions for complex community-level programs, KIPHS sees it as
a unique opportunity to excel. Why? Because of the extensive experience combined
in the KIPHS team. We have developed specific and systematic strategies for
dealing with the unique needs of public health at the community level.
A
firm foundation of support and participation with all three levels of public
health (community, state, CDC) confirm that KIPHS is well-entrenched to help
make public health information systems seamless and unsurpassed in quality.
Developed
for Public Health…
You
may have heard it said, "Do one thing, and do it exceedingly
well." While others may attempt to "revise" information
system software to fit the needs of public health, KIPHS is built from the
ground up specifically for use in the public health sector.
KIPHS
software architecture includes a Public Health Program section (or level) since
public health clinics are associated with their respective programs: i.e.
immunization clinics are supported by immunization programs. KIPHS software is
also designed so that every client record is associated with a household and
guarantor record since the guarantor may be different than the head of the
family. Sliding fee schedules are also program-specific in the KIPHS system, as
are numerous other business rules unique to public health that must be
integrated into the data structure. Another feature includes program eligibility
determination and enrollment data elements and the ability to record
program-specific data for a client enrolled in multiple programs.
KIPHS
public health software also provides users with an embedded immunization
subsystem that is integrated with, rather than simply "attached" to
the client record. That, along with the ability to support many other functions
specific to public health practice ensure the most complete, detailed and
intelligent solutions available for even the most complex information system.
At
KIPHS Inc., public health is what we do! It's our core competency, our passion
and our only focus, proven by staff members who possess many years of public
health experience.
…at
the community level
One
area that has been identified as most critical in building the national public
health information infrastructure is that of community-level public health
information systems. It is also the most complex area with few universal
standards and procedures across communities, long project lead times due to
decision and funding difficulties, and local control of public health
expenditures and presence on a community. Often, larger companies, many with
software merely modified for public health, withdraw from the challenge of a
market so diverse and fragmented as community-level public health--a market
where KIPHS is strategically equipped, and indeed has proven to excel at
addressing the information system complexities at the community level and
turning out solutions.
Because
of a focused vision for public health, our low overhead and costs are made
reasonable for community-level health departments. And there are no add-on
charges for new versions and upgrades of KIPHS software products. We see clients
as more than customers, but partners who participate in the on-going functional
development of the software through the requirements definition process.
…applying
business techniques to Public Health
Call
it a meeting of the minds. Private industry has come a long way in the area of
business system development and, as such, their information systems techniques
have been streamline.
KIPHS
lead designer, Pete Kitch, has more than 30 years experience in private industry
systems development as a nationally recognized purveyor of business systems and
as consultant to a number of Fortune 500 companies and various government
entities, including public health departments. He concludes that public health
uses information system support in the way same as private industry. The
resulting advantage to public health is that the basic principles for designing
an information system remain the same.
Constructing
a well-planned framework is essential to any technology solution. Incomplete
architecture and unclear definitions of what is needed in an information system
are often the cause for inefficient and ineffective solutions.
Our
Requirements Definition Process applies the most advanced business system
development techniques and provides a starting point to a well-designed public
health information system.
A
primary objective at KIPHS, Inc. is to bring the same streamlined business
system techniques to bear on public health information systems. What's more, the
KIPHS team is unparalleled in information system development expertise coupled
with a working knowledge of public health practices and needs.
The
result: Superior public health information system solutions and support for
KIPHS software users.
…
involved with Community, State and CDC
KIPHS,
Inc. staff members regularly participate in several national public health
organizations addressing the future direction of public health informatics,
including involvement in one or more capacities with:
»
Information system grant request reviewer for The Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation.
»
Invited expert at American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) meeting
focused on public health.
»
CDC informatics meetings addressing public health information systems
development
»
Graduate-level public health program textbook co-authoring in cooperation with
several CDC experts.
»
Guest speaking at CDC informatics conferences
»
National Association of City and County Health Officers (NACCHO) IT committee,
invited technology expert.
»
Member of All Kids Count national advisory committee and Connections Project
participant.
»
Turning Point's national information system collaborative and key committee
chairperson.
As
a result of our national involvement and our innovative work with KIPHS, we have
received a special CDC award recognizing our contribution to the advancement of
the informatics in public health.
…with
broad support from key entities
As
we have maintained a narrow focus on community-based public health information
system software, the financial and conceptual support has only broadened.
KIPHS,
Inc. partners with a wide variety of entities such as:
»
All Kids Count
»
CDC's Public Health Policy and Practice Office
»
Kansas Health Foundation
»
Kansas Department of Health and Environment
»
Local Health Departments in many states
»
National Association of City and County Health Officers (NACCHO)
»
National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control
»
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
»
Turning Point's National Collaborative on Information Systems
The
support that these organizations offer is an indication of the solid foundation
on which KIPHS, Inc. is built. We are committed, as are each of these entities,
to developing and maintaining the highest quality standards in public health
information systems for the generations to come.
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