Health Information Exchange (HIE)
is a method to electronically share patient health and medical information securely between physicians, hospitals and other health care providers when it is needed for patient care. With HIE, data exchanges can take place between providers of care who do not use the same Electronic Medical Record (EMR) software in a manner that complies with the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996. For the first time, disparate EMR users can exchange health information with each other easily and quickly with privacy and confidentiality procedures monitored and enforced by the Great Lakes Health Information Exchange (GLHIE).
Secure electronic health information exchange allows patients and physicians to be assured that patient health information is available when and where it is needed. This concept underlies the very development of GLHIE and explains why the community’s major health care institutions committed to financing its creation.
To achieve this commitment, GLHIE has invested in proven technology with extensive functionality:
The Master Patient Index (MPI) can identify patients and link their health records across diverse care settings.
Patient information across multiple providers can be linked, allowing providers to have a complete record on which to base their diagnosis and treatment plan, which will improve the quality of care and increase patient safety.
Patient information across multiple providers can be linked, allowing providers to have a complete record on which to base their diagnosis and treatment plan, which will improve the quality of care and increase patient safety.
GLHIE has a query function. This allows providers to quickly locate available information on patients presenting for the first time or seeking urgent, emergent care. When a patient is injured in an accident and is unable to explain their health history to health care providers, they can find the information about medications, health issues, and tests and make informed decisions about emergency care more quickly.
GLHIE has systems in place to protect and secure information entrusted to our care: Records are secure, tracking for protection. When health information is shared electronically, information about access to medical records is stored electronically. This can include the identity of those who accessed the medical record, the date of access, and the types of information accessed. This makes it easier to enforce the laws and regulations governing access when using electronic records than it is with paper records.
Patients’ health information is available if there is a disaster. If there is another disaster like Hurricane Katrina, health information can be stored safely in electronic form off site.
Participating in GLHIE supports providers’ efforts to access the Medicare and Medicaid incentive programs.
The Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs will provide incentive payments to eligible professionals, eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) as they adopt, implement, upgrade or demonstrate the “meaningful use” of certified EHR technology to achieve health and efficiency goals. Three main components of “meaningful use” required for the incentive payments include the use of a certified EMR
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in a meaningful manner, such as e-prescribing;
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for electronic exchange of health information to improve quality of health care; and,
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to submit clinical quality and other measures.
Meaningful use is not met by sharing information within an existing health system, among affiliated hospitals, or with different facilities that operate from the same EMR. By putting into action and meaningfully using an EHR system, providers will reap benefits beyond financial incentives—such as reduction in errors, availability of records and data, reminders and alerts, clinical decision support, and e-prescribing/refill automation.