Virginia Doctors Start Physician-Led HIE
By Katie Wike, contributing writer
In Virginia, the need for a better health information exchange has led some doctors to take the reins and create their own HIE network.
When doctors in Virginia found their current regional health information exchanges lacking, they took matters into their own hands and created one of their own. HIE Watch reports that Virginia’s statewide exchange is limited to certain data, such as immunization records. There are also several regional exchanges, but none of them provide the depth of information physicians desire such as lab and imaging records.
Because of this, The Medical Society of Northern Virginia (MSNVA) is launching its own health information exchange, called HeaLixVA. MSNVA describes the HIE as “a physician-led, secure, and confidential electronic system to share patient information across all points of medical care,” and their vision for the HIE is, “to enhance quality, efficiency, and coordination of patient care across our community by providing a cost-effective infrastructure for the exchange of electronic medical information.”
Their goals:
- To connect disparate systems and providers of healthcare services across the community, in order to improve care coordination for patients.
- To achieve clinical integration across all specialties.
- To ensure the secured exchange of patient information.
- Create economies of scale and enhanced workflow efficiencies that will reduce costs and improve patient outcomes.
- Provide quality and performance reports to strengthen participating practices' position in negotiations with insurance carriers, while helping physicians remain competitive in the healthcare market place.
“Health information is kept in separate silos. Our vision for HeaLixVA is to provide this vital link,” said Dr. Michael Fields, the health information committee chairman for the MSNVA in the Washington Business Journal.