Governor, Hawai'i HIE Update Memorandum Of Agreement, Announce Implementation Of The State's Health Information Exchange Network
Governor Neil Abercrombie and the Hawai'i Health Information Exchange (Hawai'i HIE) recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement outlining how Hawai'i HIE and the state will collaborate to develop and implement a statewide health information network that enables Hawai'i health providers to share electronic patient health information. A signing ceremony was held in the Governor's office to formally confirm the agreement.
"The Hawai'i HIE has made tremendous progress in the last several years evaluating and determining the state's infrastructure requirements that will support the transformation of Hawai'i's health care system," said Gov. Abercrombie. "Finalizing our updated cooperative agreement with Hawai'i HIE will ultimately result in improved health care for all Hawai'i residents."
The non-profit Hawai'i HIE was designated by the state in 2009 to develop and implement a statewide electronic health information exchange (HIE) that will eventually feed into the Nationwide Health Information Network (NwHIN). In 2010, Hawai'i HIE secured more than $5.6 million in federal funding to create the exchange, which allows health care providers to share patient health information electronically through a secure network that adheres to national data exchange standards. The timely and secure exchange of health data is key to providing efficient and effective care to patients and to improving the overall quality of health care for Hawai'i's residents and visitors.
As part of Monday's signing ceremony, Gary Okamoto, M.D., Board President of the Hawai'i HIE, announced that Hawai'i HIE had selected Medicity, the nation's largest provider of HIE technology, as its health information exchange partner. Medicity will build the HIE in phases, beginning with a direct messaging function that allows the exchange of patient data between two health care providers and a referral application function that allows a physician or other health care providers to indicate what type of information they prefer when receiving a referred patient.
"The selection of our technology partner is a significant milestone for the Hawai'i HIE," noted Christine Sakuda, Executive Director for the Hawai'i HIE. "A secure and scalable infrastructure enables us to start connecting Hawai'i's health care providers gradually and increase the sharing of information to more effectively diagnose and treat patients. We look forward to implementing this health communication technology, which will help us improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of health care in Hawai'i."
The Hawai'i HIE has been closely working with Beth Giesting, the state's Healthcare Transformation Coordinator, and others in the health care community to build the foundation for the exchange. "The Hawai'i HIE is playing a major role in our efforts to transform our current health care system into one that coordinates care for better outcomes, lower costs, and improved patient and provider satisfaction," Giesting said.
About Hawai'i Health Information Exchange
The Hawai'i Health Information Exchange (Hawai'i HIE) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit established in 2006 by leading health care stakeholders in Hawai'i for the purpose of improving health care delivery throughout the State through seamless, effective, and safe health information exchange. In September of 2009, Hawai'i HIE was designated by the State to develop and implement a statewide health information exchange that will ultimately feed into the Nationwide Health Information Network (NwHIN). Hawai'i HIE has a strong and exemplary Board of stakeholders who are determined to transform the current state of health care in Hawai'i into one that coordinates care, reduces costs for patients and providers, addresses the needs of the aging population, and provides incentives to patients to take a more proactive approach to their health care. www.hawaiihie.org or www.hawaiihie.ning.com
About Medicity
Medicity, the industry standard for health information exchange (HIE), is a leading innovator and largest provider of HIE technology - with more than 750 hospitals and 250,000 end users in its connected ecosystem. Medicity's solutions empower hospitals, physicians and HIEs with secure access to and exchange of health information - improving the quality and efficiency of patient care locally, regionally and nationally. For more information, visit www.medicity.com.
SOURCE: Medicity