Physicians: Time is now to connect to
health information exchange technology
By: David C. Kibbe, MD
Daniel Mongiardo, MD
From hospital corridors across the country to full page advertisements in USA Today, it appears that just about everyone is calling for the healthcare industry to go electronic. While most industries have long ago updated, the medical community -- entrusted with the lives of millions of patients annually – is slower to adapt.
Numerous efforts are underway to fix a system far too reliant on paper records. One such initiative aims to remove the barriers to participation in electronic health information exchange by providing physicians with the tools they need to get connected electronically.
The Health Information Security & Privacy Collaboration Provider Education Toolkit, launched in January 2009 in eight pilot states, focuses on safe, private and secure health information exchange technology for providers. Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Wyoming are part of the effort.
The Web-based toolkit, found at www.Secure4Health.org, provides information on electronic health information exchange and related privacy and security implications as well as the tools and resources to help physicians get connected electronically. Physicians also can take advantage of free continuing medical education credits while learning more about electronic health information exchange, electronic health record systems, and related security and privacy benefits.
As long-time advocates, we know health information technology has the potential to offer real-time information at the point of care and greater privacy and security protections. We believe that it offers physicians the opportunity to make better clinical decisions, while avoiding duplication and medical errors.
Not only is the information private and secure, but it will also help improve the delivery of healthcare services. By making health information available to doctors electronically, anywhere, medical errors and costs can be reduced. It is one way to help improve the U.S. healthcare system.
The initiative consists of a pilot project that runs from January to March 2009. To evaluate its impact on physicians and the medical community, the Health Information Security & Privacy Collaboration will analyze Web site traffic and the number of providers taking advantage of free continuing medical education credits. The goal is to create an education and outreach toolkit for providers nationwide.
The Provider Education Toolkit is the result of work completed by the Health Information Security & Privacy Collaboration, a multi-year project launched in 2006 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The collaboration is composed of 42 states and territories and addresses issues pertinent to electronic health information exchange through multi-state collaboration.
It’s safe. It’s secure. It’s time. Get connected!
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David C. Kibbe, MD, is senior advisor for the American Academy of Family Physicians’ Center for Health Information Technology. Daniel Mongiardo, MD, is lieutenant governor of Kentucky and a practicing surgeon. Both are long-time proponents for electronic health information exchange and electronic health record systems.
