The REACH Education Center is a one stop shop to access valuable webinars, resources and information about upcoming REACH events. To view information for a specific area, select a topic in the orange sidebar to the left.
REACH staff are also available to help. Please contact REACH at info@khareach.org or (877) 331-8783 ext. 222.
Health information exchange (HIE) is the mobilization of health care information electronically across organizations within a region, community or hospital system. The goal of HIE is to facilitate access to and retrieval of clinical data to provide safer, more timely, efficient, effective, equitable, patient-centered care. Meaningful use requires each health care facility to exchange patient information freely and securely with other facilities external to the facility. The CMS meaningful use final rule indicates that several measures require a test of the ability of the EHR to perform health information exchange.
The HITECH Act authorized the establishment of the State Health Information Exchange Cooperative Agreement Program to advance appropriate and secure health information exchange (HIE) across the health care system. The purpose of this program is to continuously improve and expand HIE services to reach all health care providers in an effort to improve the quality and efficiency of health care. Cooperative agreement recipients will evolve and advance the necessary governance, policies, technical services, business operations, and financing mechanisms for HIE over a four-year performance period. This program will build from existing efforts to advance regional and state level HIE while moving toward nationwide interoperability.
Health Information Exchange in Minnesota is provided by CHIC using the HIE-Bridge web-based computer system.
Qualifying rural hospitals, clinics and pharmacies may apply for the 2011 Minnesota e-Health Connectivity Grant Program for Health Information Exchange to receive modest resources to help build health information exchange capacity and achieve health information exchange capability. Deadline to apply for the 2011 program is December 31, 2011.
North Dakota is building a statewide health
information exchange. It will be a three phased approach with phase one
being the implementation of direct functionality across North Dakota.
Phase two will be the incorporation of two-way push/pull technology with
several providers to pilot connections and the exchange of data, and phase
three will be full implementation of a robust health information exchange
for all providers.
The Health
Information Technology Advisory Committee (HITAC) and workgroups are
currently reviewing proposals from selected vendors interested in
providing the health information technology infrastructure. Additional
information on North Dakota's plan can be found on the HITAC website.
The Rural Assistance Center has created a library of Federal HIT Resources for Rural Health Care Providers.
This brand new resource, developed collaboratively by HIE stakeholders throughout state, will assist health and health care providers assess their readiness for HIE and understand what options are available in Minnesota.
REACH Clients may access additional resources using Basecamp. If you are a REACH client and you need login information, please contact info@khareach.org.