For Providers

What is an "HIE"?

A health information exchange (HIE) is technology that allows healthcare information to pass electronically across organizations within a particular region or community.  The goal of HIE is make sure that  the information is available when and where it is needed.  STHL is the regional health information organization (RHIO) that governs the HIE in central NY, and currently serves a six-county area – Broome, Tioga, Chenango, Delaware, Cayuga, and Cortland, but will expand to additional counties in the coming years.

Benefits of an HIE

The HIE offers better access to more comprehensive patient records and built-in analysis tools that can improve decision making at the point of care, such as:
    built in alerts that can reduce medical errors and avoid adverse drug interactions
    improved continuity of care, particularly with multiple conditions and providers
    availability of information in case of trauma or accident away from home
    improved communication across providers, particularly caring for chronic conditions

Time and money can be saved when:
    patients miss fewer appointments because they are more involved with managing their
            own healthcare
    coding guidance leads to increased billing accuracy
    less time and money is spent filling out, shuffling and storing paperwork

Patient Information

Patient information is deposited into the HIE by hospitals, clinics, labs, and physician offices throughout the region.  When the HIE is launched in the Spring of 2010, the information available will include:
                     Patient demographics           Medical and family history                Visits       
                    Clinical Documents                Diagnoses                                            Procedures
                    Allergies and Alerts                 Medication – current & history        PACS imaging

STHL will also offer an HIE-populated personal healthcare record to healthcare consumers in the region, accessible from a link on our website beginning in mid-2010.

While patient consent is not required for the depositing of their medical record, a patient must sign a consent form before their HIE records can be shared  (except in case of emergency).   Patients can give consent, deny consent, or remain undecided, in which case their information can only be accessed in case of emergency. Only authorized users (physicians and office staff with a treatment relationship with the patient) can access patient information; the type of information available is determined by the role (clinical or administrative) of the user.

The Consent Process

Patients will be offered a consent form and their consent choice will be recorded during patient registration. Registration staff will be trained on the process and the types of questions that patients typically ask. The consent form (in paper or scanned) but must be available for audit.

Costs

Practices that currently have electronic record systems through vendors already connected to the HIE may incur little or no cost to exchange information over the HIE.  Contact STHL to see if any enhancements would be needed to do this. Financial assistance may be available to practices that do not currently use electronic records or use a vendor not yet connected to STHL.

Providers who do not have an electronic record system can still view patient information via high speed internet connection with no additional software required.  Contact STHL for details.