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March 2022 | Issue 48
STEVE ALLEN TO RETIRE IN APRIL
We wish Steve Allen, HEALTHeLINK’s director of strategic initiatives and privacy officer, all the best on his retirement this April! Steve joined HEALTHeLINK in 2009 as the organization’s director of operations. In recent years, he has been working with stakeholders and community partners to identify and develop opportunities to increase the value of HEALTHeLINK services as well as overseeing the various compliance programs to ensure patient data is used and disclosed in compliance with state and federal laws.
 
A few congratulatory messages for Steve from the HEALTHeLINK team:
 
“Steve has been a mentor for me from day 1 as I transitioned to health care. He is patient, encouraging and innovative which allowed us to achieve more. All this with a keen sense of humor which kept things fun and interesting. His love of the Dilbert cartoon made for lots of laughs!” – Drew McNichol, director of technology & security officer
 
“It has been an absolute pleasure working with and learning from Steve over the last 13 years. May your sails be full of wind as you chart the course for your next chapter!” – Steve Gates, senior manager, business development
 
“I personally will miss Steve on so many levels. I have learned so much from him over the last 10 years. His love of policy is admirable. He has the best sense of humor and can remain calm in any situation. He surely will be missed.” – Patti Burandt, senior manager, operations and compliance
NEW PRIVACY OFFICER NAMED
With Steve Allen’s retirement, Patti Burandt has been named HEALTHeLINK’S new privacy officer as of April 1. With HEALTHeLINK for more than a decade, Patti is also senior manager, operations & compliance. She has established a compliance team who has been instrumental in enhancing the organization’s auditing program and a team of experts who support and service participants. A Certified HIPAA Privacy Expert (CHPE) and Certified Cybersecurity Awareness Professional (CCAP), Patti participates in the sMPI Data Governance Workgroup and Policy Implementation Sub-Committee and is a member of the advisory board for Erie Community College’s Health Information Technology Program.
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT SUMMARY REPORT
Utilizing intelligent query, HEALTHeLINK has launched a new Emergency Department Summary Report with Erie County Medical Center (ECMC). HEALTHeLINK can immediately generate specific queries for a pre-defined set of data when a patient has been registered at ECMC’s emergency department. In this use case, data elements including patient demographics, allergies, immunizations, medications, conditions/programs, social history, results, and vital signs are generated as a PDF and delivered to ECMC’s EHR. A user does not need to be logged in to HEALTHeLINK, and the summary report retrieves only the pre-defined information as opposed to returning the entire patient record. If you’re interested in an intelligent query use case or if you have questions, please contact businessdevelopment@wnyhealthelink.com
DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS TO MEET PARTICIPANTS' NEEDS
As was highlighted above, HEALTHeLINK worked with ECMC to develop its Emergency Department Summary Report. This is just one example how HEALTHeLINK can potentially develop solutions based on the individual needs of our participants. Once developed, these services can become repeatable offerings shared with other participants. Additional solutions that are currently in a pilot phase or have been recently developed that fall into this category include: near real time medication history service, automated pre-visit planning query for primary care, and patient-based results delivery for specific test types. HEALTHeLINK has also been providing opportunities for custom reporting, both on an ad hoc and recurring basis. If interested in speaking with HEALTHeLINK’s business development team, please contact businessdevelopment@wnyhealthelink.com
HERB GLOSE NAMED GENERAL COUNSEL
Herb Glose, long time legal counsel for HEALTHeLINK, has officially joined the organization as general counsel. He was initially engaged in 2003 to help establish a governance model and ensure regulatory compliance for HEALTHeNET as an administrative data exchange and has represented HEALTHeLINK continuously since its formation in 2006.
 
With more than 30 years of legal experience, Herb concentrates his practice on health care matters, specifically handling the exchange of electronic health information. He has worked closely with HIEs across New York State, drafting and updating documentation to comply with the ever-evolving NYS and federal laws on data privacy and security, protected health information, and personally identifiable information. Herb is also a partner with Barclay Damon LLP.
NEW GUIDE 2 BETTER CARE SEGMENTS
HEALTHeLINK’s Guide 2 Better Care segments are back on WGRZ for 2022. Every other Wednesday, during the 4pm and 11pm newscasts, local health care leaders provide education about HEALTHeLINK as well as highlight the value and benefits of HIE in Western New York. To view all the segments, visit https://wnyhealthelink.com/what-we-do/guide-2-better-care/
TELEHEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT OPPORTUNITY
The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports is inviting eligible providers to apply for telehealth infrastructure support. For more details on this grant opportunity, visit https://grantsgateway.ny.gov/intelligrants_NYSGG/module/nysgg/goportal.aspx?NavItem1=4&ngaID=765
2021 REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY
If you haven’t already checked it out, HEALTHeLINK’S 2021 Report to the Community is now available to view online at www.wnyhealthelink.com/2021
HEALTHeLINK IN THE NEWS
ADOPTION


Percent of WNY practices who participate with HEALTHeLINK: 87%
 
Total number of patient consent forms signed: 1,453,061
 
Total results available through HEALTHeLINK: 319,564,359
 
Total number of patient record look up queries in HEALTHeLINK YTD: 727,298
 
Total number of practices sending data to HEALTHeLINK from their EHR: 478
 
Total number of practices getting results delivered from HEALTHeLINK into their EHR:453
NEW DATA SOURCES


Safire Rehabilitation

Todd M. Orszulak MD

YJH Medical PC


For a complete listing of data sources and participating practices, click here!
PATIENT RECORD
LOOK-UP TOP USERS

Hospital Users
--Kaleida Health System
--Roswell Park 
--Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center
--ECMC
--Catholic Health System

Physician Practice Users
--General Physician PC
--Dent Neurologic Institute
--Buffalo Medical Group
--WNY Urology Associates
--University Neurology
--Roswell Park Oncology PC
--Landmark Medical
--Trinity Medical Cardiology
--Windsong Radiology
--UB Neurosurgery, Inc

Other Participant Users
--Health Homes of Upstate New York
--Greater Buffalo United Accountable Healthcare Network
--ConnectLife
--Erie County DOH
--NYS Public Health
Proud member of Civitas Networks for Health

Proud to be part of the Statewide Health Information Network for New York (SHIN-NY)