Little Rock, Arkansas – June, 2019 The Arkansas health information exchange (HIE), State Health Alliance for Records Exchange (SHARE), is now connected to HASA Health Information Organization. Through this connection SHARE and HASA are now exchanging admission, discharge and transfer (ADT) notifications for patients who live in Arkansas and Texas. Moving in a phased approach, in the future, of sending Continuity of Care Documents (CCDs) based on the patient’s home of record.
This announcement comes after the two HIEs successfully exchanged ADTs via the Patient Centered Data Home Initiative (PCDH), as both HIEs are members of the Strategic Health Information Exchange Collaborative (SHIEC). This is an important achievement to the benefit of patients in both states. “It is a great milestone for both SHARE and HASA and we’re happy to implement a solution that allows health care providers and hospitals to connect across state borders and in the future be able to query for a patients’ results in the format of a CCD in a HIPAA compliant secure environment,” says Robert Harris, IT Director of HASA.
The following facilities are now connected sending ADTs to SHARE through HASA based on the patient’s zip code in Arkansas:
This connection with HASA will assist in improved transitions of care for patients who cross the state line. Our collaboration as neighboring states will help providers and hospitals better communicate with one another and to better coordinate patient care while assisting in reducing hospital readmissions regardless of state borders.
Natural disasters, like flooding and tornados in Arkansas and Texas, present challenges to health systems and providers not only in areas directly impacted, but also to those in neighboring regions who treat patients displaced by the disaster. One of the greatest issues is access to patient records. HIEs are playing a key role in transmitting patient data when and where providers need it most. In the near future, through this connection, both HIEs will be able to seamlessly deliver patient health information like CCDs to include demographics, laboratory results, radiology reports, progress reports and discharge summaries across each state’s border based on the patient’s home of record through the PCDH initiative.
“As the health care landscape continues to transform, HIEs may play a pivotal part in providing data that fuels innovation nationwide. SHARE and HASA are working together to contribute to these efforts such as improving population health, assisting in values based programs, natural disasters and assisting with payer relations, among other efforts,” says Anne Santifer, Executive Director, SHARE.
About State Health Alliance for Records Exchange (SHARE):
Mission is to advance secure connectivity and serve as a sustainable, interoperable data exchange platform for health-related operations.
Vision is to provide a mechanism through which individuals, health care providers, and health organizations can electronically share health-related information to facilitate and strengthen the delivery of healthcare throughout Arkansas. This is designed to lead to improved patient care, informed individual health decisions, better public health outcomes, and cost-effective use of healthcare resources. SHARE is expected to achieve broad acceptance, credibility, and access by employing advanced technologies that ensure efficiency, privacy, and security and continuously evolve to serve Arkansans more effectively.
For more information, visit: SHAREarkansas.com
About HASA:
Mission: HASA offers value-based, patient-centered information services intended to improve the health status of individuals and the communities it serves. As a 501(c)3 community collaborative, HASA fosters trust, cooperation and communication among its stakeholders.
Vision: Through its stakeholders, HASA offers resources, expertise and counsel to achieve the highest level of health information exchange in the State and Country.
Value: HASA stakeholders and members agree to enhance community health status through a collaborative health information exchange, ensuring that patient privacy and data security is paramount. Members agree to exchange appropriate patient information to enhance care transparency. HASA stakeholders and members commit to support and abide by established standards and conditions of data integrity and data exchange. HASA Stakeholders support the sustainability of the organization through the promotion of fee-for-service programs and alternate funding opportunities.
For more information, visit: https://www.hasatx.org