HIE

One of the most exciting developments of the e-health evolution is Health Information Exchange (HIE), which provides access to and sharing of patients’ medical information over a wide network of providers. HIEs allow medical information maintained in disparate information systems of the many providers from whom a patient receives medical care within a geographic region, a specific community, or even a hospital system to be shared. HIEs have many different forms and functions but their creation is grounded in the universal desire to improve the quality of medical care, guarantee patient safety, and improve efficiency of delivery of treatment. The basic mission of any HIE is maximum health care improvement through improved data management and responsible partnerships between various healthcare stakeholders.

FluidEdge HIE consultants can help providers identify the best approach for participating in or creating an HIE that will provide the maximum benefits that health information exchanges offer:

• Providers are better able to meet best practices for continuity of care for their patients because they can view the records of the other providers who have provided them treatment. Immediate access to a full array of their patients’ records offers providers a full picture of their patients’ current condition. Physicians can be alerted to allergies, current medications or recent treatments that are documented in the information systems of other providers.
• Patient confidentiality is supported since information handled through HIE portals must comply with strict security requirements mandated by HIPAA, HITECH, Meaningful Use, and other regulatory mandates.
• Cost savings related to office machinery; copying, faxing, and mailing of patient medical records, consultative phone conversations, administrative salaries, and document management can be recognized as an organization participates in an HIE.
• Opportunities to obtain and submit information in support of the public health initiatives.

Despite the visionary opportunities and their potential benefits, HIEs pose many challenges for organizations who decide to build or participate in them. FluidEdge can help navigate these challenges and avoid potential pitfalls that occur due to:

• The immense capacity required to store massive amounts of data and clinical diagnostic images necessitates highly sophisticated technical infrastructure to ensure data can be accessed in a timely manner.
• Consumer concerns about the privacy and security of their personal health information (PHI).
• Lack of full participation by organizations within the HIE because of competitive corporate interests or concerns about misuse of their own information.
• Consistent identification of patients due to lack a standard patient identification or medical record numbers across the various providers within the HIE
• Lack of solid standardization of state and federal regulations for HIEs. Legislation such as "Meaningful Use" , “HITECH”, and state-sponsored grants for establishing HIEs are works in progress and must be given serious consideration in all HIE strategic planning and ongoing support.

FluidEdge has the expertise to manage the many challenges inherent in creating an HIE. Our consultants can provide a broad range of professional services to support your organization’s HIE initiatives, including:

• Due diligence, strategic planning, and definition of the best HIE approach for your organization.
• System design, infrastructure development, and technical assistance to build sophisticated data exchange and secure connectivity within the comprehensive HIE.
• Contract negotiation and policy development services to coordinate with your associated HIE stakeholders.
• Project management to support your organization’s participation in HIEs from their inception and ongoing expansion.