News Feature | February 10, 2015

HIEs ‘Making Progress'

Katie Wike

By Katie Wike, contributing writer

HIE Progress Report

According to a survey conducted by HIMSS, providers believe HIEs improved in several areas including security and physician support.

In a year’s time HIEs significantly improved in several areas, according to a survey by HIMSS. The 2014 survey included 19 HIEs and 23 HIE organizations which also had participated in the 2013 survey. According to iHealth Beat, all 119 HIEs showed improvement in the areas of clinical decision support, computerized provider order entry, patient reminders, and summary of care records.

Fierce EMR reports some of the specific changes include:

  • 52 percent in 2013 to 74 percent in 2014 of HIEs providing services or a gateway to facilitate orders/results delivery (i.e. CPOE)
  • 22 percent in 2013 to 42 percent in 2014 of HIEs providing patient reminders functionality for care coordination
  • 59 percent in 2013 to 79 percent in 2014 of HIEs offering Direct HISP services for secure messaging between providers and patients
  • 87 percent in 2013 to 100 percent in 2014 of HIOs reviewing or conducting a security risk analysis to ensure data protection

Mari Greenberger, director of Informatics for HIMSS North America, and Charlie Rogers, chairman of HIMSS HIE Committee and CEO of Core Health Technologies said in an HIMSS Blog, “We believe the results from the 2014 follow-up survey provide further evidence that HIEs are demonstrating broad industry momentum. HIEs are also attempting to deliver increased value – especially surrounding the Meaningful Use Stage 2 core and menu options, to providers, healthcare professionals, and most importantly, to patients.”

The ONC reported that, in a 2013 survey, one-third of physicians were able to exchange data, including:

  • lab results: 36 percent
  • imaging reports: 34 percent
  • problem lists: 33 percent
  • medication lists: 34 percent
  • med allergy lists: 34 percent

“Interoperability measurement will be a key focus going forward,” the ONC report concludes.  “Data show growth in exchange capability and activity, but also show there is substantial room for improvement.”