Little Rock, Arkansas May 2023 SHARE, Arkansas’ statewide health information exchange, announced today that Unity Health has successfully connected to its health information exchange (HIE) network. The connection of Unity Health’s Meditech Expanse electronic medical record system with SHARE’s HIE greatly expands its capabilities to coordinate patient care quickly and efficiently with community providers throughout Arkansas. When a patient is hospitalized or has a medical test performed at one of Unity Health hospitals or clinics, important health information is electronically recorded and made automatically available to the patient’s care providers on the SHARE network. Information shared includes laboratory results, radiology results, pathology reports, immunizations, allergies, diagnosis, transcription notes and vital information from admissions and discharges. This immediate communication helps the patient’s care team better track his or her medical needs, which can prevent repeat hospitalizations and redundant testing.
“Unity Health’s vital role in the community as a major care provider for Arkansas residents makes this a very important partnership for SHARE. We are thrilled to include the clinical data from 4 hospitals and 30+ clinics in the HIE, especially coming out of a pandemic when transparency and real-time communication is so important.”
Justin Villines, HIT Policy Director
“Unity Health is excited to be a part of the SHARE network. Their vast health information system will allow our providers and care teams to connect with the resources that they need,” says Phil Miller, Chief Information Officer. “The principle of our mission is to achieve the best outcomes for our patients, and we are confident that this partnership advances that priority”, said Miller.
SHARE is also assisting Unity Health in connecting to the Arkansas Department of Health for required public health reporting to include bi-directional immunizations, electronic lab reporting, syndromic surveillance, and electronic case reporting (eCR). This allows them to meet the 2023 Promoting Interoperability Program HIE Measure as well as the Bi-Directional CCDA Exchange measure.
SHARE HIE plays a critical role in improving population health by facilitating the exchange of health information among different healthcare providers, which can lead to more coordinated and effective care. By having a more complete picture of a patient’s health history and current health status, healthcare providers can make more informed decisions about patient care and develop targeted interventions that address the specific needs of a population.
For example, SHARE HIE can be used to track the prevalence of chronic conditions, such as diabetes or hypertension, among a population and identify areas where targeted interventions may be needed. SHARE can also be used to monitor the effectiveness of population health interventions and track outcomes over time.
Overall, health information exchange offers significant benefits for patients, healthcare providers, and healthcare organizations, including improved patient care, increased efficiency, enhanced population health management, improved coordination of care, and increased patient engagement.
ABOUT UNITY HEALTH:
As the leading healthcare provider and largest employer in an eight-county area, Unity Health and its more than 2,300 associates strive to improve the quality of health and well-being for the communities they serve through compassionate care. Unity Health has more than 150 physicians that specialize in various areas of healthcare.
Unity Health, an Arkansas healthcare system, includes four hospital campuses: White County Medical Center in Searcy, Specialty Care Campus in Searcy, Unity Health in Newport, and Unity Health in Jacksonville. The healthcare system includes 13 family practice clinics located in Beebe, Bradford, Cabot, Heber Springs, Newport, and Searcy. Specialists and specialty clinics consist of 15 areas of practice including Unity Health – Cardiology Clinic, Unity Health – Orthopedic and Spine Center and the Pyeatt Family Cancer Center. Unity Health Behavioral Health includes four outpatient clinics: Unity Health – Clarity Health and Wellness clinics in Searcy, Newport, Cabot and Jacksonville and inpatient facilities in Newport and Searcy, and Jacksonville.
Learn more at www.Unity-Health.org