Annual IHE Connectathon Tests Validate OptumInsight Technologies' Ability To Enable A More Connected Health

February 3, 2012

Tests confirm that OptumInsight innovations support Health IT Interoperability, which is essential to providing better-coordinated, higher-quality patient care. Read more here.

Can 'Clouds" protect patient data from security breaches?

June 23, 2011

While cloud-based electronic health records (EHRs) have received a fair amount of publicity lately, nagging questions accompany their discussion: Are cloud-based EHRs protected from security breaches as they run across the Internet to off-site servers? Or are on-site systems the better bet for ensuring data protection?  Read more here.

Health IT saves a life in Memphis

November 15, 2011

A medical data-sharing program saved at least $2 million and gave doctors crucial insight about a pregnant woman's complications.  Read more here.

Blumenthal's 4 keys to successful health information exchange

October 22, 2011

The successful exchange of health information among providers and insurers, as well as other healthcare players, will "unleash capabilities we can't even imagine," making the entire healthcare industry "even more productive," David Blumenthal, former national health IT coordinator, told attendees at the Pega Collaborative Healthcare Summit in Boston on Wednesday. Read more here.

Electronic patient information exchange aims to prevent medical errors, avoid test duplication

New agreement provides access to secure electronic health information across Michigan and northern Ohio

October 20, 2011

Doctors at affiliated institutions across Michigan and northern Ohio will soon be able to securely share patient information electronically, preventing medical errors and avoiding test duplication.

A new agreement, adopted October 17th between the University of Michigan Health System and Great Lakes Health Information Exchange (GLHIE), will make it possible to securely exchange health information with UMHS affiliated medical practices. Read more here.

7 Best Practices for Hospitals Implementing Health Information Exchanges

October 10, 2011

Health information exchanges are important for meeting meaningful use standards, improving the coordination of care and potentially lowering costs. In fact, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology listed achieving adoption and information exchange through the meaningful use of health IT as one of its top goals in the Federal Health Information Technology Strategic Plan: 2011-2015. Glenn Keet, president of Axolotl, part of OptumInsight, shares seven best practices for hospitals implementing HIEs.  Read more here.

Not all Health Information Exchange is Created Equal

There was an effort a little while back to define health IT terms. In that process, a bit of work went into defining “Health Information Exchange” (HIE) as an “act” or “verb” and “Health Information Organizations” as entities dedicated to the exchange of health information. Common usage now seems complicated by the use of three terms; Health Information Exchange, Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO) and Health Information Organization (HIO), but perhaps the bigger challenge is the even greater variation in the details of what any of these terms practically means. Read more here.

Why Halamka's Health IT Predictions Might Overestimate the Future

September 5, 2011

John Halamka, CIO of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, is one of the most respected opinion leaders in health IT. He's also one of the smartest people I know. Yet his new piece in the MIT Technology Review, predicting where health IT will take us in the next five years, is too optimistic by half. Read more here.

Halamka Rises to the Occasion

September 2, 2011

When Dr. John Halamka talks about the future of computing in health care, it is worth paying attention.  You will find a superb overview by him in this month's issue of Technology Review, in an article entitled, "The Rise of Electronic Medicine". Read more here.

Michigan MMIS Earns CMS Certification

September 2, 2011

The Michigan Department of Community Health’s Medicaid Management Information System, called CHAMPS, has received certification from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Read more here.

The Rise of Electronic Medicine

September 1, 2011

Medicine today is a sea of paper and fax machines, privacy barriers, and unconnected data. The public is ready for a better system. Read more here.

Study:  Better Diabetes Outcomes with EHR's

September 1, 2011

A study of adult diabetes care in the greater Cleveland region shows significantly better adherence to quality of care standards, and resulting better patient outcomes, among providers using electronic health records. Read more here.

New Study from Humana and Wisconsin Health Information Exchange Finds Health Plan Costs Decrease When Health Information Exchanges are Used

August 26, 2011

A new study conducted by Humana HUM -0.69% and the Wisconsin Health Information Exchange (WHIE) found that health information exchanges (HIE), when used in emergency departments, resulted in improved provider efficiencies and health plan cost savings. The peer-reviewed analysis, which is the first to closely examine the benefits accrued by health plans that support health information exchanges, is published in the July/August issue of American Health & Drug Benefits. Read more here.

Axolotl EMR Lite Receives ONC-ATCB Complete Ambulatory EHR Certification

August 16, 2011

Axolotl Corp., now OptumInsight, announced that its Axolotl EMR Lite, version 9.2 (formerly Elysium version 9.2) has received certification as a Complete Ambulatory electronic health record (EHR) system by InfoGard Laboratories, a National Coordinator for Health IT Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ONC-ATCB). Read more here.

Axolotl HIE is now OptumInsight™

August 11, 2011

Axolotl HIE and EHR solutions have now become part of the OptumInsight™ portfolio of health care management systems and services — part of Optum™, a leading health services business. Read more here.

Successful Information Sharing Fosters ACOs

August 3, 2011

Although cautiously hopeful, healthcare leaders say that successful health information exchange can prompt equally successful infrastructure for accountable care organizations (ACOs), according to a report released yesterday by the National eHealth Collaborative (NeHC).... Read more here

Orlando ER Quickly Identifies Heart Surgery Patient by Accessing Shared Patient Data

March 11, 2011

Dr. Cynthia Powell was supervising medical residents at Orlando Regional Medical Center one recent weekend, when she got a call about an elderly man in the emergency room, complaining of chest pain and shortness of breath. When the doctors asked the patient about his previous medical history, his recollection was fuzzy. He couldn't remember the name of his cardiologist, but his family mentioned that he recently had....Read more here 

IT Could Compensate for Higher-than-Expected Care Fragmentation

December 20, 2010

Interoperable IT could be just the thing to help healthcare reduce the expensive duplication and potential adverse events associated with fragmented care, according to just-published research from Massachusetts. While this is hardly a new notion, the sheer extent of the fragmentation could add new urgency to the push toward a connected health system. Read more here

Axolotl Corp.’s Elysium 9 Receives Full CCHIT Certification 

January 8, 2010

Axolotl Corp., the nationwide leader in health information exchange (HIE) solutions and services announced today that the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology's (CCHIT®) has fully certified Axolotl's Elysium 9 as a CCHIT Certified® 2008 Ambulatory Electronic Health Record (EHR)....Read more here

Supplier Exec:  Connectivity will Unleash the Power of Health IT

November 30, 2009

Electronic medical records and computerized physician order entry won't help the nation meet the goals of the the federal stimulus legislation of patient-centered coordinated care, improved quality of care, reduced medical errors and less duplication. It will take connectivity between EMRs and other medical technologies, and it will require full, two-way interoperability, says a medication management executive.... Read more here

MSU Plays Role in Electronically Linking Medical Records

September 30, 2009

Better, safer health care is in store for mid-Michigan patients thanks to the Capital Area Regional Health Information Organization, which for the first time will allow Ingham, Clinton and Eaton county physicians and providers to exchange patient records electronically....Read more here

WILX: Improving Patient Health Care

September 29, 2009

A new partnership between several area health organizations aims to make health care better and safer for patients....Read more here

Capital Area RHIO Chooses Axolotl`s Elysium Exchange to Power Michigan`s First RHIO 

Mid-Michigan Health Information Exchange to Drive Community Empowerment for Achieving Better Health and Supporting Public Health 

April 1, 2009 

Capital Area Regional Health Information Organization (Capital Area RHIO) has selected Axolotl Corp. of San Jose, the leader in health information exchange (HIE) solutions, to deploy Elysium Exchange for its RHIO - a coalition of public and private community members, including physicians, health systems, businesses, health plans and academic institutions from the tri-county area of Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham in Mid-Michigan....Read more here