HealtheNews September 2016
In this issue: 
  • HealtheConnections Receives Medicaid Claims Data for Pilot Program
  • Department of Defense Approves Health Information Exchange Between Fort Drum and Community Providers
  • HealtheConnections Completes Integration With Netsmart
  • HIE Portal Usage Shows Significant Growth
  • September is National Childhood Obesity Month
  • Meet the Southside Walking Club!
  • A Vital Tool: How Physicians Can Use the HIE (Guest column by Dr. Jef Sneider)
  • HealtheConnections at The Great New York State Fair: Did You Spot Our Signs?
  • Welcome Debbie Gordon-Messer, Population Health Data Analyst
  • Now Hiring: Business Intelligence Reporting Analyst and HIE Integration Analyst
  • New HIE Participants
  • August HIE Statistics Snapshot
HealtheConnections Receives Medicaid Claims Data for Pilot Program

HealtheConnections has received Medicaid claims data for the 324,000 patients attributed to the three DSRIP Provider Performing Systems in Central New York. Under a Restricted Access Model, approved on August 9, HealtheConnections obtained Medicaid claims data for evaluation and design purposes. This is a first step toward integration of the claims with HIE clinical data. 

HealtheConnections, along with Healthix, Bronx, and Hixny RHIOs are part of the pilot program, which kicked off in April 2016.
Department of Defense Approves Health Information Exchange Between Fort Drum and Community Providers
Fort Drum is now one of three military bases in the United States to adopt a shared electronic medical record system with community providers, setting up a system of seamless care for active-duty soldiers, veterans and their families.
The Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization, along with Syracuse-based HealtheConnections and Fort Drum's Medical Department Activity (MEDDAC), is pleased to announce Department of Defense approval of a unique electronic health information exchange partnership between Fort Drum and the surrounding community.

The partnership, which was launched as a pilot program last August, is one of three across the country to be tested and approved by the DOD. Other health information exchange partnerships of this kind are in place in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Anchorage, Alaska.

Through the collaboration with Fort Drum MEDDAC, electronic medical records of soldiers and their families are now available, along with civilian medical records, in HealtheConnections' secure health information exchange system. This integration will prevent duplicate medical procedures and testing as health care providers have the ability to access the comprehensive health records of soldiers and their family members from other connected facilities across central New York, the north country, and New York State. 

HealtheConnections is also linked with the Department of Veterans Affairs, allowing veterans in central and northern New York to enjoy this same seamless access to care. 

HealtheConnections Completes Integration With Netsmart
Netsmart, t he nation’s largest provider of behavioral health EHRs, and HealtheConnections recently completed an integration process that allows HealtheConnections participants to contribute patient records to the HIE. Behavioral health data will be available along with a patient's other medical records to form a more comprehensive view of their medical history. 

Syracuse Behavioral Health is our first participant with Netsmart to send Continuity of Care Documents (CCDs) to the HIE. Syracuse Behavioral Health is one of the largest behavioral health facilities in the area, and  access to this type of information through the HIE is key for healthcare providers across the community.
HIE Portal Usage Shows Significant Growth
2016 has shown tremendous growth and increased usage of HealtheConnections’ Health Information Exchange (HIE). Since the beginning of the year, monthly users accessing information for patient care has increased by more than 50%. This means there are more medical professionals accessing information to provide a better quality of care for Central New York residents. Some of the highlights of this growth include:

  • Authorized users accessing clinical information for patient care up 55% year-to-date
  • Increase of 41% unique patients viewed
  • 66% increase in clinical documents accessed

As one of our principle objectives this year, increased HIE portal usage has been achieved through proactive customer engagement with our nearly 620 participating entities. This surge in access and use of the HIE is due to a multi-faceted approach through education & training of medical staff within the 21 Hospitals in the 11-county region, and trainings at more than 100 private medical practices since the beginning of 2016.

If your organization would like to learn about additional services available through HealtheConnections', such as myAlerts, our Imaging features, or to schedule an advanced training of Patient Lookup, our HIE portal, please contact your Provider Engagement Specialist. You can also contact HealtheConnections Support at 315-671-2241 x5 or via email at support@healtheconnections.org.
September is National Childhood Obesity Month
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 5 (17%) of children in the United States has obesity, and certain groups are more affected than others. National Childhood Obesity Month provides us an opportunity to examine how the children in our region are affected.

In the Central New York region, over 35% of elementary school students are overweight or obese, which puts them at greater risk for obesity and chronic disease as adults.
Visit www.HealtheCNY.org to:
Meet the Southside Walking Club!
This summer, the Southside Walking Club was formed, giving local residents an opportunity to start their Saturdays off with some fun and fitness.

Pictured on left, some members of the Southside Walking Club before the start of their weekly walk.

Starting in July, the group has met each Saturday morning at the Onondaga Creek trail at Brighton Avenue to walk together around the Southside of Syracuse. The walks will continue through October 1st. Click here to access a flyer with the full details.

Camille Coakley, TNT Southside Board Delegate and a member of the walking club, said “The walking club has been a great addition to the Southside community. The opportunity to bond while getting fit has been a great experience. We look forward to it every week! We are really grateful to HealtheConnections for the support.” 

The Southside Walking Club is supported by the City of Syracuse Department of Parks and Recreation, Tomorrow’s Neighborhoods Today (TNT) Southside, and the Onondaga County Health Department. HealtheConnections also supports this work by providing funding through the Local Initiatives for Multi-Sector Public Health Action (Local IMPACT) project.

Through Local IMPACT, HealtheConnections and our partners across the region are implementing 15 mutually reinforcing strategies, including physical activity promotion, with the goal of preventing and controlling obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. For more information on Local IMPACT activities, contact bhathaway@healtheconnections.org. 
A Vital Tool: How Physicians Can Use the HIE
Guest Column by Dr. Jef Sneider
Dr. Jef Sneider, Chief Medical Officer for HealtheConnections, shared his experience using the HIE with MD News in their Central New York September/October 2016 issue:
"My patients are important to me. I want to know all about their health histories, from medications and allergies to past procedures or conditions, so I can provide them with the best possible care when they come to my office for a visit. To make sure I have quick, secure access to my patients' health records when I need them, I use HealtheConnections' health information exchange (HIE)."


To read the full column on page 11, click here.
HealtheConnections at The Great New York State Fair
Did You Spot Our Signs?
If you visited The Great New York State Fair between August 25 and September 5, you may have noticed HealtheConnections' logo on several trams as well as on a banner in the Science and Industry Building, which showcases the healthcare exhibits. HealtheConnections was a proud sponsor of the Fair for the second year in a row!

Did you see our signs? Let us know!
  Check out our employees' photos from the Fair!
Welcome Debbie Gordon-Messer, Population Health Data Analyst

Debbie Gordon-Messer, Population Health Data Analyst, is a public health professional with six years of experience in health promotion, research, and program evaluation.  Debbie holds a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Michigan and has worked nationally and internationally in population health, health education and community development. 
Now Hiring: Business Intelligence Reporting Analyst and HIE Integration Analyst
HealtheConnections is seeking candidates for: 

Visit our website for more details regarding each position and to learn how to apply.
Welcome New Participants
Herkimer Family Nurse Practitioners, PLLC
Upstate Family Health Center, Inc.
Mathew Ulahannan MD, PC
St. Joseph's Home
August HIE Statistics Snapshot

109 S. Warren St., Suite 500

Syracuse, NY 13202

315.671.2241