I called the CyberDriveIllinois support number today (would have done so yesterday, but it was a holiday) listed on the Secretary of State Business Services Contact Form as "For certified copies and copy requests for corporations, please call (217) 782-6875."
Two different staffers told me the database is accurate and up to date, and confirmed that file 65254336, Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology, old name CCHIT, had a current status of "dissolved."
Therefore, might one not reasonably conclude the CCHIT, with administrative offices at 200 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 3100, Chicago, Illinois per its marketing director, is operating (in some manner) without being registered in the state in which it is conducting those operations?
I ordered a copy of the file on the dissolution and will report on what it contains.
Yesterday morning I also sent the following email to Sue Reber, Marketing Director, the contact person listed on a response posted to the WSJ blog and as a comment to "A very troubling post about CCHIT" here at Healthcare Renewal.
Ms. Reber had written that "CCHIT was founded originally as a LLC but has subsequently transitioned to a private, nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. That is its current status."
I asked:
To: sreber@cchit.orgI have not received a response, but did receive this automated return receipt from my emailer:
Date: 02/16/2009 07:55AM
Subject: Question: Involuntary dissolution of 4/11/08Dear Ms. Reber,
I am am medical informaticist and blogger at multiauthor blog "Healthcare Renewal."
With regard to your posted response to the WSJ health blog comment here about CHHIT, am still curious as to the involuntary dissolution of 4/11/08 -- what was that about? - and the absence of an "active" entry in the Illinois' online corporation/LLC search utility.
Your message
To: Sue Reber
Subject: Question: Involuntary dissolution of 4/11/08
Sent: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 06:55:43 -0600
was read on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 10:43:20 -0600
I await a reply.
-- SS
Addendum:
At the original WSJ blog comments site where the first Feb. 13 comment from "CJ" and the response from Mr. Reber appeared, there is a new Feb. 17 comment by " Mark Leavitt was employed by HIMSS for some period of time, that CCHIT jury observed testing is not independent 3rd party testing and validation because of who performs it, that there are numerous conflicts of interest with HIMSS and other organizations, that taxes have not been paid, and that CCHIT is a shell of some type.
I do not know if these are true and do not vouch for their accuracy.
However, the comment concludes with "the public has a right to know the truth from outside independent sources."
I tend to agree, considering that bad informatics can kill.
-- SS
Thank God somebody has the courage in an environment that is so corrupt in "Crook County", that the depth of it defies description. The public has a right to know the truth, where our tax dollars have been spent. What happens to the products that have already been "certified" by CCHIT during the year CCHIT was "involuntarily dissolved"?
ReplyDeleteAt least when you get a toy from the Cracker Jack box, the company is still in business.
You stated, "I ordered a copy of the file on the dissolution and will report on what it contains." Good luck with this, I hope you can get a copy, although I bet attorneys for CCHIT and HIMSS have already been down there today trying to block the transfer of the file and or stuff it with items to legitimize its operation. Hopefully the IRS and the Illinois Department of Taxation and Revenue has already seized a copy of the document.
I look forward to your next post!
I doubt anyone would try to alter the records.
ReplyDeleteI also expect the materials to be mundane - e.g., internal disagreements or something akin to that, per the book reference I posted on involuntary dissolutions.
The Illinois Secretary of State now lists a certificate of good standing for 65254336, CERTIFICATION COMMISSION FOR HEALTHCARE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. Notice that the "Annual Report Filing Date" is 2/17/2009...
ReplyDeleteBefore CCHIT moved, it was listed as an LLC, file #01779095, status withdrawn, registered agent Alisa Ray, 233 N Michigan, Suite 2150, Chicago IL 60601. (Must have been convenient to be in the same building as AHIMA, maybe not so much when Obama's campaign office was there.)
Some interesting finds: Complaint about CCHIT sent to FTC, Hayward Zwirling speaks out against CCITT control over eMRs, requirements and fees for obtaining CCHIT certification for HIEs, OpenEMR - an open source EMR - seeks 501(c)3 status to compete w/CCHIT.
“Before CCHIT moved, it was listed as an LLC, file #01779095, status withdrawn, registered agent Alisa Ray, 233 N Michigan, Suite 2150, Chicago IL 60601. (Must have been convenient to be in the same building as AHIMA, maybe not so much when Obama's campaign office was there.)”
ReplyDeleteIn resonance with the prior helpful comment, I wonder if Obama and his HITites stopped in to visit with the CCHIT folks and brethren in HIMSS and AHIMA to break bread. The unthinkable possibility was raised a week ago by a former Chicagoan who, himself, was wondering of the process of how Obama became seduced by the dream of HIT and noticed the fact that all are from Chicago. Hmmm and HIM$$…just wondering.
Thank you so much for following up on this topic! I was devastated when I hear the news of it's dissolving so suddenly. I love openemr; it's a great program for doctors to use!
ReplyDelete