Three HIEs form live, multiregion info exchange
Three Indiana and Ohio organizations have started sending clinical test results, reports and other medical information among their health information exchanges (HIEs) in what is thought to be the country’s first live, multiregion clinical information exchange.
The HIEs – HealthBridge of Cincinnati, Indiana Health Information Exchange (IHIE) of Indianapolis, Ind., and HealthLINC of Bloomington, Ind.—have, before now, exchanged health information securely within their sites. Now, they are exchanging information among their regions as well.
The three HIEs connect more than 15,000 physicians, 50 hospitals and 12 million patient records. Linking the HIEs is a two-phase project. During the first phase, IHIE is sending information to HealthLINC and HealthBridge. The second phase, or full interconnectivity, will be implemented by mid-September, according to the organizations, which means that clinical information will be flowing in both directions among the HIEs.
“This connectivity among communities will undoubtedly mean fewer repeated tests and better care coordination between rural and urban providers,” said J. Marc Overhage, MD, CEO of IHIE. “If a patient has a provider in a different community, as long as they are part of one of the three HIE networks, their care teams will now have more complete medical information available to them much more quickly.”
The HIEs – HealthBridge of Cincinnati, Indiana Health Information Exchange (IHIE) of Indianapolis, Ind., and HealthLINC of Bloomington, Ind.—have, before now, exchanged health information securely within their sites. Now, they are exchanging information among their regions as well.
The three HIEs connect more than 15,000 physicians, 50 hospitals and 12 million patient records. Linking the HIEs is a two-phase project. During the first phase, IHIE is sending information to HealthLINC and HealthBridge. The second phase, or full interconnectivity, will be implemented by mid-September, according to the organizations, which means that clinical information will be flowing in both directions among the HIEs.
“This connectivity among communities will undoubtedly mean fewer repeated tests and better care coordination between rural and urban providers,” said J. Marc Overhage, MD, CEO of IHIE. “If a patient has a provider in a different community, as long as they are part of one of the three HIE networks, their care teams will now have more complete medical information available to them much more quickly.”