How to Control Your Data When Joining an HIE

Joining an HIE may have just gotten a boost, at least in some states. The recent news from the ONC announcing they’ve awarded $29.6M to twelve states and state designated entities for the purpose of moving interoperability and population health forward, led me to think about what this means for providers in these states and what opportunities may lie ahead for advancing the sharing of data, specifically within HIEs.

If you’re in one of these states (read the article here from ModernHealthcare), it could mean that you will have even more opportunity to advance your own population health initiatives.

It’s yet to be seen what these states will do with the Grant money. One thing is for sure if you’re joining your state (or any other) HIE, (even if you’re not in one of the awarded states), there are some things you can do for your organization to make sure you’re successful and that you meet your HIE goals.

There are some general and obvious goals that most organizations have when they make the decision to join an HIE. Some include:

• Getting a complete view of their patients records
• Sharing data across entities
• Taking action on data from the HIE to improve outcomes

There are obvious benefits for the patient when providers have access to this kind of information. However, it is also important for you as an organization to manage your involvement in the HIE, to make sure that you get the most from it, without breaking the bank.

If you’re new to the HIE process, are looking to join an HIE, or possibly switching HIEs, there are things that you can do to control the flow of data that will:

• Improve your integration timelines
• Reduce costs
• Ensure team accountability

All of these are important for successfully connecting to an HIE. There are some key questions that also need to be answered. Some include:

• How and where do you send your data?
• Is your data helping to provide care to others?
• How do others send data to me?
• Is the data that you’re providing complete and error free?
• How will your data be housed and protected?

I could go on for days about these topics, but who has that kind of time, right? So, I’m going to answer these questions and others (including detailed questions about EMPI) in an upcoming 1-hour educational Webcast “Best Practices for Joining an HIE — How to Make Your Connection Work for You” on August 6^th at 2pm ET. I would love to have you participate and ask any questions about your specific situation related to joining an HIE.

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(If you can’t join, register anyway and I will send you the recording.)