Little Rock, Arkansas –October 2022 Many people—particularly those with chronic health conditions—get health care services from various clinicians, resulting in records scattered across multiple facilities. When patients try to share records across these sites of care, medical facilities often send information via fax machine—if at all. And, if patients want to collect all their records to bring to their specialist, they may be required to pick up files in person.
This has now changed for CABUN Rural Health Services clinics, that is now integrated with the Arkansas’ statewide health information exchange, known as the State Health Alliance for Records Exchange (SHARE). As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), CABUN established in 1978, has taken interoperability to heart the last few years, which is a visible expression of the unswerving commitment they have to the Arkansas communities they serve. Their partnerships with local businesses and concerned citizen groups, as well as their participation in community development activities, speak to the ongoing commitment to provide affordable health for all in Arkansas.
As medical care facilities seek to support patient safety and be responsive to their complete medical needs and histories, health centers also recognize that establishing an infrastructure for data sharing must be a top priority. Better practices for Health Information Exchange (HIE) increase patient well-being by giving providers more complete information for clinical decision-making, eliminating unnecessary procedures and tests, reducing the burden of paperwork, and lowering costs.
“The beauty of the SHARE health information exchange is its interoperability platform designed to help providers comply with best care practices to adequately treat patients for every chronic illness.”
Sheppard explained that many providers are unable to access a complete picture of a patient’s health across Arkansas’ healthcare ecosystem before SHARE HIE. Faxed and incomplete discharged summaries were a commonplace.
“Having the critical real-time data such as encounters, lab tests and results, prescribed medications, radiology reports and other elements that provide insight to inform the best treatment path forward are what is most needed, and SHARE assists us. Since joining SHARE our clinics have real-time access to the longitudinal patient record at the ready, which optimizes actionable patient care data and the provider’s ability to make informed decisions quickly."
The lack of visibility and network-connected capture of longitudinal information across disparate EHR systems and different care settings is a leading cause of incomplete patient record data. The result is workflow inefficiency, poor quality care, negative outcomes, and rising expenses. Moreover, different patient identifiers within EHRs usually lead to duplicated diagnostic tests along with deficient data. SHARE HIE is continuing its mission of improving the delivery, coordination & quality of health care in Arkansas. Health information exchange isn’t just about technology—it’s about everything the movement of patient health information makes possible.
About CABUN Rural Health Services:
The Mission of CABUN Rural Health Services is to meet the healthcare needs of the people in Calhoun, Clark, Bradley, Miller, Hempstead, Lafayette, Ouachita, and Union Counties. To provide quality services to all persons in need of primary healthcare regardless of race, sex, age, religion, national origin, ability to pay, or source of payment for care received. To work with other healthcare providers and agencies in the service area to form an integrated system of delivery of unduplicated patient/client centered services in a professional, ethical, and legal manner. CABUN’s leaders made the decision to become a community health center in 1978 so that we could serve as a “safety net” for rural communities to ensure that no one who needs healthcare is denied access. They believe that healthy communities are the essence of American life.
CABUN Rural Health Services is a private non-profit corporation developed to provide affordable care to meet the primary medical and dental care needs of the residents in 8 counties of rural south and southwestern Arkansas, especially in the communities of Hampton, Bearden, Strong, Hope, Amity, El Dorado, and Lewisville. CABUN is a Federally Qualified Health Center that offers care in communities that would have no other source of healthcare. Through their affiliations, CABUN can provide affordable medical, laboratory, radiological, and dental services to all in Arkansas. CABUN has created a Patient-Centered Medical Home through a network of primary care clinics, dental clinics, and wellness centers. CABUN’s highly trained doctors, dentists, and healthcare professionals provide education and prevention programs to other Arkansas agencies, as well as to our patients. They are a health center in the Health Center Program grantee under 42 U.S.C.254b, and a deemed Public Health Service employee under 42 U.S.C. 233(g)-(n).
Learn more about CABUN: https://www.cabun.org
