A planning process for a fast track to IAIMS

The strategic planning process that is part of Vanderbilt University's fast track to IAIMS is evolving based on feedback from the process itself. Led by a committee of VUMC's top management, broad-based sub-committees for administration, education, patient care, and research worked initially on the following strategic issues: identifying key external pressures that constrain and provide opportunities, visioning how VUMC might operate in the future, and establishing a mission and high-level goals for information management. Next steps include identifying the critical mass of function that will prompt daily use of the IAIMS by everyone at VUMC and adding groups to focus on information and technology architectures and developing academic informatics. This manuscript gives detailed, practical information about the evolution of the planning process, committees' responsibilities, working relationships, and lessons learned.