SUBSCRIBE                                                                                              April 2019
The ABCs of HIEs 
We write frequently about GaHIN's activities and initiatives as the state-designated Health Information Exchange (HIE). But what exactly does that mean? This month we're taking a look at the role of HIEs in healthcare. The following explanation is from the Strategic Health Information Exchange Collaborative (SHIEC).
 
Health information exchange can either be a verb or a noun. As a verb, health information exchange is the process of sharing health information electronically. As a noun, a health information exchange, or HIE, is an organization that provides technology and services to allow their stakeholders to securely share health information. These HIE organizations work within their communities to promote secure health data sharing.
 
HIEs support patient care in many important ways, including:
  • Serving as an unbiased community data trustee for health information
  • Connecting healthcare systems, private HIEs and independent providers
  • Filling gaps in patient health information for more comprehensive patient records
  • Providing real-time access to patient information for better clinical coordination and decisions
  • Improving the quality, safety, efficiency and reliability of care 
Did You Know...
Healthcare is not the first industry to struggle with interoperability and connection s. HIMSS writes on their website: "American railroads were initially built to serve specific cities and their surrounding areas, with little thought to eventually connecting one to another. By the 1870s there were more than 20 different railroad gauges used across the country, making it impossible for trains to move from one area to the next. It wasn't until a common standard was established, and all railroad systems adapted to match this standard, that cross-continental travel and shipping could be achieved ."
 
All aboard for health information exchange with GaHIN!
Access GaHIN Data through GAMMIS - April 24 Webinar

GaHIN's clinical viewer gives providers who are part of Georgia ConnectedCare the ability to query electronic patient records using their EHR. Medicaid providers also have ready access to electronic patient records using the Clinical Viewer embedded in GAMMIS - even if they don't have an EHR.
 
Our April webinar will offer an introduction to the Clinical Viewer including a demo of features and capabilities. Providers will learn how this tool can help them access the most current available patient information that will facilitate clinical decision making and ultimately improve the patient encounter experience.
 

Our May 22 webinar is on Electronic Access to Lab Results. To get an overview of this new program  register here.
 
How ADT Alerts Are Impacting Care in Georgia

At our March webinar with the Department of Community Health (DCH), we took a look at how Admit/Discharge/Transfer (ADT) alerts are being used to improve care coordination for patients served by the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS).
 
Joining GaHIN representative Brad Cohen on the webinar to discuss their experience with ADT alerts were Shemkia Harris, WPAC Program Manager at DFCS, and Dr. Candace Body, Director, Complex Foster Care Coordination Team at Amerigroup.
 
Currently contributing alerts are Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and HealtHIE Georgia, a RHIE, which has seven participating hospitals. Receiving ADTs are Amerigroup and WellCare, two of Georgia's four Medicaid Care Management Organizations responsible for the care coordination and continuity of care activities. DFCS also receives alerts on its clients.
 
If you missed this informative session, you can find the recording here.


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