The Bipartisan Policy Center’s (BPC) Task Force on Delivery System Reform and Health IT recently released a set of recommendations for the most effective use of health IT dollars to support delivery system and payment reforms to achieve improved health, better health care, and reductions in the cost of care.  The Health Project is co-led by former Senate majority leaders Tom Daschle and Bill Frist and includes a broad range of nationally respected experts and leaders from many sectors of health care. The Task Force on Delivery System Reform was created to focus on two primary goals: 

•      Identify real-world examples and best practices that facilitate coordinated, accountable, patient-centered care; and

•      Make recommendations for ensuring that current health information technology (IT) efforts support delivery system and payment models shown to improve quality and reduce costs in health care, in ways that best utilize scarce public and private resources.

The report’s findings that health information technology (health IT) “plays a critical role in supporting new models of care and payment designed to achieve health care’s triple aim: improve health, improve the experience of care for patients and families and reduce the cost of care.”  ONC agrees that continued rapid progress on ensuring the adoption and meaningful use of health IT will be aided by, among other things: ongoing progress in the secure exchange of health information, even greater availability of consumer-oriented health IT tools, and building on the already rapid progress on adoption of electronic health records.

These recommendations are supportive of ONC’s vision and efforts to encourage and coordinate adoption of health IT and are consistent with State HIE program activities.

To read the full report, click on the link to take you directly to BPC’s website.

Transforming Health Care: The Role of Health IT

The numbers are in and IHIT, with the help of Indiana’s five regionally-based Health Information Organizations (HIO’s), is making steady progress towards advancing sustainable, secure, standards-based health information exchange throughout Indiana’s rural communities and underserved populations.

Some highlights as of December 31, 2011:

• 101 of 123 acute hospitals have signed contracts with a HIO
• 2532 active participants  for directed exchange (Push)[includes unique ambulatory providers and individual labs]
• 5511 active participants for query exchange (Pull) )[includes unique ambulatory providers and individual labs]
• 13,365,891 transactions sent (Directed/Push) [includes lab results, discharge summaries, public health results, visit summaries]
• 1,205,317 transactions for patient record inquiries

As the numbers show, Indiana is well on its way towards securely moving electronic health data in a meaningful way to improve coordination among health providers to help them achieve improved health outcomes for their patients.

Late last year, IHIT launched the Indiana eHealth pledge. Twenty-five (25) organizations have joined the pledge to date. From the payer/governmental side, the organizations represent the largest commercial payer, Medicaid, the State Public Health Entity. From the healthcare side, the organizations represent 49 hospitals (41% of Indiana hospitals), large specialty physician groups, a regional reference laboratory, and the largest student health clinic. All five of the sub-state health information organizations have signed the pledge.

The pledge was launched in conjunction with the Office of the National Coordinators eHealth pledge. These organizations are pledging to providing education and greater access to health information for the patients and consumers they serve. Providing patients and their care givers with timely, accurate health information will lead to improved engagement and quality outcomes. IHIT, in its role as the State HIE, is proud to push such an initiative and collaborate with the organizations working to improve health care.

Next steps for the pledge include development of marketing materials for the program and those that join. IHIT will be developing a voluntary recognition/rating program to identify organizations that excel in providing consumers with education and health information. If you are an organization interested in engagement of the health care consumer, join the Indiana Health pledge today.

More information on the ONC efforts can be found at: http://www.healthit.gov/

To join the Indiana pledge, download the pledge form at: Indinana eHealth Pledge

Few doubt the benefits of implementing an EHR, but can confused on where to turn for help.

After speaking with several providers over recent weeks, it is obvious there is still much confusion about the basics of EHRs, where to turn to for incentive funds and the complexities of meaningful use.

Indiana has launched a pledge campaign geared at providing education and greater consumer (patient) access to their health information.

MHIN (Michiana Health Information Network) Located in South Bend Indiana has achieved accreditation this week by EHNAC (Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission). EHNAC evaluates Health Information Exchanges in the areas of privacy and security, technical performance, business practices and organizational resources as it relates to HIE policies and procedures.

MHIN either meets or exceeds all EHNAC criteria and industry standards. This does not come as a big surprise as MHIN is one of the most mature and robust HIEs in the country.

"With so much developing and changing still in the HIE industry, it is important for our regional providers and communities to recognize and understand that MHIN is taking every necessary measure to ensure that we are handling their secure medical information with the most advanced technology and service available," stated Tom Liddell, Executive Director of MHIN. "EHNAC HIEAP accreditation reinforces our dedication to serve our region and continue to be a leader in the industry."

For more information about MHIN, their history, services provided, mission and solutions offered, click here or call (574) 968-1004.

A recent article in Hospitals and Health Networks discusses the use of CCD standards for improving data exchange. Will CCD be the universal standard that delivers improved integration?

There are quite a few exciting things going on in trying to integrate Long Term Care providers and HIE activities. Indiana recently participated in a National Governor's Association meeting on the topic.

IHIT is currently working through the contracting phase of its implementation plan.

IHIT's HIE Connectivity Project is Progressing