From the ONC website: Interactive course using stories, analogies, and practical examples to highlight new vocabulary, content, transport, and services standards introduced in the Meaningful Use Stage 2. This course also introduces the concept of interoperability building blocks and utilizes stories to show concepts in practice.

The course is approximately 75 minutes in length with flexibility to take the entire course all at once or over a period of time. The four topics within this course are:

• Defining Interoperability
• Interoperability Path to Meaningful Use Stage 2
• Building Blocks of Interoperability
• The Effect of Interoperability on Categories of Care

This YouTube video provided by the National Learning Consortium gives a quick overview of why patients and consumers might be interested in using the Blue Button application which allows people to download personal health information.

From the HealthIT.Gov website: Until now, relatively few Americans have had the opportunity to use this kind of technology to enhance some of the most important relationships: those related to your health. Relationships with your doctors, your pharmacy, your hospital, and other organizations that make up your circle of care are now about to benefit from the next transformation in information technology: health IT.

For patients and consumers, this transformation will enhance both relationships with providers and providers’ relationships with each other. This change will place you at the center of your care – in effect, helping to put the “I” in health IT.