Dear SHARE HIE Participants,

As we reflect on this season of gratitude, we want to take a moment to sincerely thank each of you for your continued collaboration, partnership, and commitment to health information exchange across Arkansas. Your participation in SHARE HIE is not simply a technical connection, it is a lifeline that strengthens care delivery, supports providers, and improves the health outcomes of the patients we all serve.

Because of your dedication to connecting, sharing, and using data, Arkansas patients are benefiting in meaningful and measurable ways every single day. Together, we are building a more connected healthcare ecosystem that places patients at the center of care and empowers providers with timely, actionable information.

Your Collaboration is Making a Real Impact by:

• Improving care coordination by ensuring providers have access to complete patient histories across care settings.
• Reducing duplicate tests and procedures, saving patients time and lowering healthcare costs.
• Enhancing patient safety through real-time access to allergies, medications, diagnoses, and prior encounters.
• Strengthening transitions of care, especially during hospital admissions, discharges, and emergency department visits.
• Enabling proactive follow-up through ED and inpatient discharge notifications to primary care providers, behavioral health providers, and care managers.
• Supporting population health and risk stratification across ACOs, CINs, and payer networks.
• Enhancing behavioral health integration, ensuring holistic care for the whole patient.

Your participation in SHARE HIE demonstrates a shared commitment to improving healthcare access, quality, and efficiency for every Arkansan. This unified approach allows us to move from fragmented care toward a truly connected system that prioritizes outcomes, access, and patient-centered care.

We are incredibly thankful for your trust, your innovation, and your ongoing partnership. Together, we are not just connecting data, we are connecting lives, improving outcomes, and shaping the future of healthcare in Arkansas.

With sincere appreciation,

SHARE HIE Team

Office of Health Information Technology, Arkansas Department of Health
State Health Alliance for Records Exchange (SHARE)

 

Little Rock, Arkansas                   In communities across Arkansas, the health of women is the foundation for the health of families and ultimately, the health of our state. Providers at Women’s Healthcare of Arkansas have been dedicated to walking beside women at every stage of life, from adolescence and family planning to pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond. Today, that mission has grown even stronger. Through full integration with the State Health Alliance for Records Exchange (SHARE) HIE, Women’s Healthcare of Arkansas PLLC part of Unified Women’s Healthcare is ensuring that every woman receives care that is connected, coordinated, and compassionate, no matter where she seeks it.

A Unified Network of Women’s Health Providers

Women’s Healthcare of Arkansas includes a family of trusted clinics, Cornerstone Clinic for Women, Cornerstone Clinic for Women – Aldersgate, Women’s Urgent Care Clinic at Cornerstone, Women’s Health Associates of NWA, Conway Women’s Health Center, and Conway Women’s Health Center – Clinton, each recognized for their commitment to excellence in women’s health.

All these locations, powered by the Athena EMR system, are now fully integrated with SHARE HIE. The connection allows secure, real-time sharing of Admission, Discharge, and Transfer (ADT), Laboratory Results, Radiology Results, Progress Notes, and Continuity of Care Documents (CCDs). More importantly, every clinic can now query SHARE to access comprehensive clinical information from hospitals, specialists, and other providers across the state. This means that whether a patient delivers at a hospital in Little Rock, has lab work done in Conway, or visits a specialist in Northwest Arkansas, her care team has access to the full picture of her health.

Improving Maternal Health Through Better Information

Maternal health outcomes depend on timely, complete, and accurate information. With SHARE HIE, providers at Women’s Healthcare of Arkansas can see a patient’s entire pregnancy journey, from prenatal labs and ultrasounds to postpartum follow-ups and hospital discharges, all in one place.

This seamless exchange of information is helping to:

• Identify high-risk pregnancies earlier
• Coordinate care between obstetricians, primary care providers, and hospitals
• Prevent redundant testing and missed follow-ups
• Ensure postpartum patients receive the right care at the right time

By bridging data gaps, SHARE HIE is helping clinicians provide smarter, safer, and more proactive care, improving outcomes for mothers and babies alike.

Connecting the Dots for Better Coordination

Care doesn’t happen in isolation. A woman’s health often involves collaboration among multiple providers, OB/GYNs, primary care doctors, behavioral health specialists, and hospitals. Before SHARE HIE, these connections often relied on faxed records, delayed phone calls, or incomplete information.

Now, through this integration, Women’s Healthcare of Arkansas can instantly access vital data from across the continuum of care. When a patient presents with complications or visits another facility, her provider can immediately see updated labs, medications, and discharge summaries, empowering faster decisions and better follow-up. This kind of data-driven coordination is not just improving clinical outcomes; it’s also building trust. Patients can feel confident that their providers truly understand their history, their challenges, and their needs.

 A Shared Vision for Healthier Communities

The integration with SHARE HIE marks more than a technical milestone, it represents a shared vision for the future of healthcare in Arkansas. Women’s Healthcare of Arkansas has become part of a growing statewide network of clinics and providers working together to make health information accessible where and when it matters most. By partnering with SHARE HIE, they are helping reduce disparities, strengthen maternal health systems, and support data exchange that benefits patients across urban and rural communities alike.

Putting Women at the Center of Connected Care

Every pregnancy, every test result, and every medical decision tells part of a woman’s story. Through SHARE HIE, Women’s Healthcare of Arkansas is ensuring that none of those stories are lost and that every woman has the best chance for a healthy life. By embracing interoperability, collaboration, and innovation, Women’s Healthcare of Arkansas continues to lead the way in shaping a more connected, compassionate, and accessible healthcare system for women across Arkansas.

About Unified Women’s Healthcare:

Unified Women’s Healthcare is a leading women’s health company that strategically operates, affiliates, and invests in businesses that drive better outcomes and experiences for patients throughout every milestone and moment of their healthcare journey. Founded in 2009, Unified supports more than 2,500 providers in North America and remains an indispensable source of business knowledge and innovation to transform women’s healthcare. Its four business divisions remain top in their field, including the largest OB-GYN physician practice management platform in the United States, the global pioneer in fertility treatment and science (CCRM Fertility), the leading women’s maternity analytics platform that directly improves birth outcomes (Lucina), and the nation’s leading virtual menopause clinic provider (Gennev).

For more information,  visit unifiedwomenshealthcare.com. 

 

About Cornerstone Clinic for Women:

Cornerstone Clinic for Women has served women in the Little Rock area for over forty years, providing comprehensive OB-GYN care in a compassionate, faith-based environment. Founded by Dr. Orman Simmons and Dr. Doug Smith, along with their spouses Marilyn Simmons and Jane Anne Smith, the clinic was built on a commitment to medical excellence and Christian values. Their team of experienced pro-life physicians offers a full range of women’s health services including obstetrics, gynecology, in-office procedures, and surgical specialties and operates Arkansas’s only dedicated women’s urgent care clinic. With locations on Baptist Health Drive and Aldersgate Road in Little Rock, Cornerstone Clinic for Women is known for its trusted relationships, personalized care, and unwavering dedication to women’s health through every stage of life.  

For more information, visit  cornerstoneclinicforwomen.com.

 

About Women’s Health Associates of NWA:

Women’s Health Associates is a comprehensive women’s healthcare practice located in Bentonville, Arkansas, offering a full spectrum of services from gynecology and obstetrics to aesthetic and wellness treatments. They emphasize a personalized, patient-focused approach driven by clinical expertise, designed to support women “from birth to beauty and beyond.” Their offerings include general gynecologic care (wellness exams, menstrual and menopausal management, PCOS, urinary incontinence, etc.), a range of in-office procedures for convenience, obstetric care including prenatal, childbirth and postpartum support (with advanced ultrasound imaging, including 4D), plus weight-loss and nutrition counseling and aesthetic/ intimate-wellness treatments. With a team of board-certified OB/GYN physicians and experienced advanced practice providers, Women’s Health Associates strives to be a wellness partner for women at every stage of life.

For more information, visit  whanwa.com.

 

About Conway Women’s Health Center:

Conway Women’s Health Center is a partnership of dedicated obstetric and gynecological physicians proudly serving patients throughout central Arkansas. Conveniently located just half a mile from Conway Regional Medical Center, with a satellite office inside the Ozark Health Specialty Clinic in Clinton, the practice provides comprehensive women’s healthcare in a compassionate and respectful environment. The physicians and nurse practitioners are deeply committed to delivering excellence in patient care for women and their families. In addition to a full range of obstetrical and gynecological services, Conway Women’s Health Center also offers cosmetic treatments through Conway Women’s Med Spa, providing a holistic approach to women’s health and wellness across all stages of life.

For more information, visit conwaywomen.com.  

Little Rock, Arkansas                     SHARE HIE (State Health Alliance for Records Exchange) has been selected as this year’s Civitas Networks for Health® “Moving Data into Action” Award winner, a national recognition honoring organizations that are transforming health information into measurable impact. The award celebrates entities that have successfully liberated, connected, and leveraged data to drive policy improvements, better outcomes, and greater access at the community, state, or national level.

This recognition highlights SHARE HIE’s leadership in advancing interoperability and data exchange across Arkansas’s healthcare ecosystem. As the state’s only statewide Health Information Exchange (HIE), SHARE connects more than 4,000 healthcare organizations and 128 hospitals, representing thousands of providers. Through real-time exchange of clinical data, including ADT (admission, discharge, transfer) notifications, laboratory results, radiology reports, progress notes, discharge summaries and continuity of care documents (CCDs), SHARE empowers providers to make informed decisions at the point of care. From hospitals and primary care clinics to behavioral health providers, EMS agencies, and payers, SHARE ensures that the right information is accessible when and where it’s needed most.

By integrating multiple data sources, SHARE HIE helps Arkansas providers close care gaps, reduce readmissions, and improve transitions of care. The organization supports public health reporting such as immunization submissions and syndromic surveillance, enabling timely data sharing with the Arkansas Department of Health. SHARE also delivers customized reports, such as 0-90-day readmission alerts, hospitalization reports, foster care custody change reports, and HbA1c reports, to help care teams track outcomes, meet CMS Promoting Interoperability and MIPS requirements, and strengthen value-based care performance.

The SHARE HIE team firmly believes that true progress in healthcare happens through collaboration, communication, and partnership. By actively engaging with hospitals, clinics, behavioral health providers, long-term care facilities, payers, and community organizations, SHARE fosters an environment of shared learning and trust. The team prioritizes listening to partners’ needs, understanding their challenges and tailoring solutions that deliver real value. Whether it’s enhancing clinical workflows, improving data quality, or supporting interoperability goals, SHARE’s success is built on the strength of relationships and a shared commitment to improving health outcomes across Arkansas.

Through innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to healthcare access. This national honor from Civitas Networks for Health affirms SHARE’s role as a trusted data utility and a model for how statewide HIEs can drive real change through connected, patient-centered information exchange.

             

Little Rock, Arkansas   October 2025                       The Arkansas Department of Health has reached a major milestone: the Arkansas EMS Program is now LIVE with the State Health Alliance for Records Exchange (SHARE), the state’s Health Information Exchange (HIE). More than 200 EMS agencies and facilities are now sending data to SHARE, marking a pivotal step in advancing emergency care and health information sharing across Arkansas.

Advancing Emergency Medical Services

The Arkansas EMS Program has long prioritized timely, informed care during emergencies. With the integration now live, EMS teams statewide are securely transmitting electronic patient care reports (ePCRs) through their ePCR system to SHARE HIE. These reports include vital signs, treatments provided, scene observations, and other clinical details, helping build a more complete patient history.

This advancement enhances coordination between pre-hospital and hospital care teams by ensuring that critical EMS data is available to hospitals, primary care providers, specialists, and care coordinators statewide through SHARE HIE. While not all EMS agencies are currently accessing clinical data from SHARE HIE, they are contributing essential patient information into the system laying the foundation for expanded data access in the future. 

                                                

How It Works: Real-Time Data to SHARE HIE

 EMS personnel input patient data into their electronic systems, which is then securely routed to SHARE HIE via the state-managed Arkansas EMS Program. Hospitals and other care providers connected to SHARE can view this EMS data through an electronic medical record (EMR) query to SHARE HIE or the Virtual Health Record (VHR), enabling better-informed care upon patient arrival.

This real-time contribution from EMS ensures that emergency departments and community providers receive key information before the patient arrives supporting faster, more accurate triage and treatment decisions.

Collaborative Statewide Implementation

This initiative represents the collaboration of the Arkansas Department of Health, EMS leadership, technology vendors, and local EMS agencies. From technical integration and system testing to user training and feedback, the implementation was shaped by stakeholders who understand the real-world needs of emergency responders.

Benefits of EMS Data Integration

• Improved Hospital Readiness: Emergency departments gain early visibility into incoming patient conditions, enabling faster care for trauma, stroke, or cardiac events.
• Reduced Redundancy: EMS data sent to SHARE reduces duplicative efforts in documentation, helping streamline care transitions.

• Enhancing SHARE HIE and Public Health Intelligence: The influx of real-time EMS data into SHARE HIE strengthens its role as Arkansas’ central health data utility. This rich, timely dataset allows public health officials to monitor statewide trends, detect emerging health threats, and respond rapidly to crises such as overdoses, injury patterns, or natural disasters enabling more proactive, data-driven public health strategies.

A Model for Other States

Arkansas is among a growing number of states integrating EMS data with their HIE. By contributing EMS reports into SHARE, Arkansas is setting a new benchmark for interoperability, cross-sector collaboration, and public health readiness.

Looking Ahead

The Arkansas EMS Program continues to expand its role in data-sharing. While the current focus is on sending ePCR data to SHARE, future phases may include broader access to patient histories and care plans for EMS providers, further strengthening point-of-care decision-making. The integration of EMS data into SHARE HIE is a significant leap forward in Arkansas’ healthcare landscape. By enabling real-time data exchange, the Arkansas EMS Program is enhancing care coordination, improving outcomes, and laying the groundwork for a more connected, informed, and responsive emergency care system statewide.

 

Little Rock, Arkansas- August 2025             Access Medical Clinic Arkansas LTC has taken a major step forward in improving care for nursing home residents by fully integrating with the State Health Alliance for Records Exchange (SHARE)- Health Information Exchange (HIE). This integration empowers providers serving long-term care facilities with the critical, timely information they need to make better decisions and improve patient outcomes.

Seamless Data Flow Across Care Settings

Through the integration, ADT (Admission, Discharge, Transfer) notifications, laboratory results, radiology reports, progress notes, and CCD (Continuity of Care Documents) flow directly from the nursing homes into SHARE. Access Medical Clinic Arkansas LTC providers are documenting when they see a patient in their Athena One EMR, which is fully integrated with SHARE at their respective facilities they serve.   This ensures that providers have a complete, up-to-date view of each resident’s health status without the delays and information gaps that often come with transitions of care.

“Integrating with SHARE HIE has transformed how we care for our nursing home residents. Having real-time access to labs, imaging, and hospital event alerts means our providers and nurses can respond faster, coordinate more effectively, and ultimately deliver better outcomes for our patients.” — Stephanie Jaggars, Quality Manager, Access Medical Clinic

Bi-Directional Communication for Better Outcomes

The connection is more than just one-way. Providers at Access Medical Clinic Arkansas LTC can query SHARE HIE at any time to access clinical results on nursing home residents. This bi-directional communication creates a continuous information loop between the nursing home and the provider, reducing duplication of tests, avoiding unnecessary delays, and enabling more coordinated care.

 Real-Time Alerts for Critical Events

One of the most powerful features of this partnership is real-time event notifications. When a nursing home or rehab patient visits the emergency department (ED), is admitted to the hospital (IP), or returns to the facility, SHARE alerts the provider. This immediate visibility allows the provider to schedule timely follow-ups, often the next day, ensuring continuity of care and reducing the risk of complications.

Improving Quality, Reducing Risk

By closing the information gap, Access Medical Clinic Arkansas LTC can:

• Address post-hospitalization needs faster
• Reduce avoidable readmissions
• Coordinate care more effectively with nursing home staff
• Enhance patient safety and satisfaction

This integration is a model of how HIE connectivity can strengthen long-term care, providing a lifeline of real-time data that helps providers keep residents healthier, safer, and better supported.

 

 About Access Medical Clinic Arkansas LTC:  Access Medical Clinic is a leading family practice and urgent care providing a complete complement of care and treatment options for patients throughout Arkansas, Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and Indiana.

Their dedicated team of physicians, family nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses and other healthcare providers and support staff is committed to helping their local communities’ citizens stay as healthy as possible at every age and every stage of life. Access Medical Clinic offers an array of medical care services and other preventive care.  Learn more: https://www.myaccessmedicalclinic.com

Little Rock, Arkansas- July 2025         The State Health Alliance for Records Exchange (SHARE), Arkansas’ only statewide health information exchange housed under the Arkansas Department of Health, is proud to announce a landmark integration with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) via the eHealth Exchange—the nation’s largest query-based health information network, connecting federal agencies and healthcare organizations for secure, interoperable data exchange.

This bi-directional connection enables both the sending and querying of Continuity of Care Documents (CCDs), creating a seamless, real-time flow of clinical information between VA facilities and community providers across Arkansas. A Continuity of Care Document (CCD) contains key clinical information such as patient demographics, problems, medications, allergies, lab results, immunizations, and care plans. It enables seamless data exchange between providers to improve care coordination and ensure informed treatment decisions.

Major VA hospitals such as the John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital in Little Rock, Eugene J. Towbin Healthcare Center in North Little Rock, and the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks in Fayetteville—as well as over 20 VA community clinics across the state—are now connected to SHARE. This integration ensures that critical veteran health records are securely accessible to their full care team, whether they are treated at a VA facility or by a non-VA provider in the community.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 200,000 veterans reside in Arkansas, representing approximately 9% of the state’s adult population—ranking Arkansas 30th nationally in veteran population size.

Importantly, the VA is also actively querying SHARE HIE through eHealth Exchange, gaining access to health information from more than 3,600 connected clinics and 118 hospitals throughout Arkansas. This mutual exchange allows VA providers to retrieve hospitalization data, lab results, imaging reports, medication histories, and other essential clinical data when veterans receive care outside the VA system.

This advancement in interoperability is transforming care delivery by:

• Enhancing care coordination between VA and community providers
• Supporting faster, more informed diagnoses and treatment plans
• Reducing redundant tests and procedures
• Ensuring truly comprehensive, whole-person care for veterans

From metro areas to rural communities like Mena, Ozark, and West Helena, this partnership ensures that those who served our nation receive the connected, high-quality care they deserve—wherever they are seen.

About the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – Health Care for Veterans: The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the nation’s largest integrated healthcare system, delivering care to over 9.1 million enrolled Veterans annually. Its network includes 1,380 healthcare facilities—comprising 170 medical centers and 1,193 outpatient clinics—dedicated to providing accessible, high-quality care to Veterans across the country.

Learn more: https://www.va.gov

 

Little Rock, Arkansas- June 2025            Father Bob Allen Charitable Clinic, a nonprofit serving low-income, uninsured adults in Union County, Arkansas, has joined the State Health Alliance for Records Exchange (SHARE), the state’s only statewide Health Information Exchange (HIE). This integration is a powerful step forward in the clinic’s mission to deliver compassionate, accessible, and coordinated healthcare to the community.

The clinic provides a wide range of services including primary care, routine lab work, EKGs, diabetes education, weight loss programs, annual wellness visits, and a vital prescription assistance program available to both clinic and non-clinic patients. By connecting to SHARE, the clinic now has secure, real-time access to patients’ clinical histories, hospitalizations, labs, and medications—enabling more informed care and stronger patient outcomes.

 “Connecting to SHARE has expanded our ability to care for the whole patient,” said Holly Monroe, Director of the Father Bob Allen Charitable Clinic. “We now have insights into their recent hospital visits, labs, and medications—information that helps us avoid duplication and provide more effective, continuous care, especially for those with chronic conditions.”

Through this integration, the clinic has:

• Strengthened care coordination with local hospitals and specialists.
• Enhanced medication assistance, ensuring safe and timely prescriptions.
• Reduced care gaps through real-time alerts on ER and inpatient discharges.
• Improved chronic disease management by accessing lab results and treatment histories across providers.

By joining SHARE HIE, the Father Bob Allen Charitable Clinic is not only improving patient care within its own walls but also building a healthier, more connected healthcare system across South Arkansas. Their leadership shows that even small, community-based clinics can make a big impact through the power of health information exchange.

About Father Bob Allen Charitable Clinic: Father Bob Allen Charitable Clinic is a nonprofit medical clinic that serves uninsured low-income patients in Union County, AR. We provide primary medical care, routine lab work, medication assistance, diabetes education, weight loss programs, annual wellness visits, EKGs, and more. Our prescription assistance program is available to both clinic and non-clinic patients, therefore, we can assist qualifying adults with a prescription program no matter their provider.

Learn more: https://sharefoundation.com/fbacc/fbacc-home

Little Rock, Arkansas- May 2025               LHC Group, a leading national provider of in-home healthcare services, has officially gone LIVE with SHARE, Arkansas’s statewide Health Information Exchange (HIE). This milestone marks a significant advancement in care coordination, enabling LHC Group’s home health, homecare, palliative and hospice locations across Arkansas to seamlessly access and share critical patient data in real-time.

By integrating with SHARE HIE, LHC Group clinicians can now view hospitalizations, ED visits, lab results, and other key clinical data directly through the Virtual Health Record (VHR). This connectivity supports faster care transitions, reduces unnecessary readmissions, and improves patient outcomes—especially for patients managing chronic conditions or recovering at home after hospitalization.

“Connecting to SHARE HIE has been a game-changer for our team at Elite Home Health in Fort Smith. We now have real-time access to critical clinical information that helps us deliver faster, safer, and more informed care to our patients. This integration strengthens our ability to coordinate with hospitals and providers throughout the region, ensuring that no detail is missed in a patient’s journey toward healing at home.” — Tressa Johnson, RN, HCS-O, Executive Director, Elite Home Health Fort Smith

LHC Group operates a comprehensive network of home health, hospice, and community-based service locations across Arkansas. These facilities are strategically situated to serve patients statewide, including in cities such as Little Rock, Hot Springs, Fort Smith, Jonesboro, Conway, Pine Bluff, Benton, Fayetteville, Springdale, Searcy, El Dorado, Texarkana, Harrison, Batesville, Russellville, Mountain Home, Camden, and Paragould.

With locations in communities across the state, LHC Group’s commitment to interoperability ensures that patients receive high-quality, informed care wherever they are. This collaboration underscores the power of data sharing in advancing value-based care and enhancing the patient experience.

“Having access to SHARE HIE has truly elevated how we care for our patients in northern Arkansas. Whether it’s a recent hospitalization, lab result, or specialist note, our nurses can now see the full picture. It’s not just about timely care—it’s about delivering the right care at the right time. This connection helps us close gaps and personalize each care plan with confidence.”— Andrea Miller, RN, Executive Director, Elite Home Health – Mountain Home, Salem, Batesville

Each location is committed to delivering personalized, high-quality care tailored to the unique needs of its community. For instance, Elite Home Health in Little Rock offers a range of services including skilled nursing, physical therapy, and chronic disease management. Similarly, South Arkansas Home Health in El Dorado provides comprehensive home healthcare services, emphasizing patient-centered care.   These locations are now integrated with SHARE, Arkansas’s statewide Health Information Exchange (HIE), enhancing real-time data sharing and care coordination across the state. This integration ensures that clinicians have immediate access to critical patient information, facilitating seamless transitions between care settings and improving overall patient outcomes.

“At Northwest Home Health, we serve a diverse and growing region, and timely information is key to providing high-quality care. Our connection to SHARE HIE allows us to stay informed about our patients’ hospital visits, test results, and treatment updates—often before they even return home. This level of insight empowers our team to be proactive, responsive, and truly patient-centered in everything we do.” — Tina Hill, Executive Director, Northwest Home Health

About LHC Group, Inc.- LHC Group, Inc. is a leading national provider of in-home healthcare services, offering quality, value-based care to patients primarily within the comfort and privacy of their homes. Founded in 1994 as a single home health agency in small-town America, LHC Group has grown to deliver home health, hospice, and home- and community-based services across 38 states and the District of Columbia, reaching 68 percent of the U.S. population aged 65 and older.

The company’s mission is to provide exceptional care and unparalleled service to patients and families who have placed their trust in them. Their vision is to improve the quality of life in the United States by transforming the delivery of healthcare services. LHC Group is the preferred in-home healthcare partner for more than 400 leading hospitals around the country, helping to seamlessly transition patients from acute to post-acute settings, reduce avoidable readmissions, and improve clinical outcomes.  

In 2022, LHC Group became part of Optum, a division of UnitedHealth Group, to further expand its patient-centered mission and help drive best care practices across the country.  

Learn more about LHC Group locations in Arkansas: https://lhcgroup.com/location-listings/

Jane Sneed, M.D. – The Children’s Clinic, a primary care pediatrician in Jonesboro, Arkansas, shared a powerful example of how the SHARE Health Information Exchange (HIE), Arkansas’ only statewide HIE, plays a critical role in safeguarding vulnerable pediatric patients. This case involved a young child with complex medical needs: a history of prolonged hospitalization at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, short bowel syndrome, a central line for medications and nutrition, and an NG tube for feedings. The child comes from a young, resource-limited family with poor medical compliance—missed appointments, unreliable follow-up, and difficulty accessing necessary therapies and home health services.

Historically, this family only responded to outreach from the clinic and did not initiate follow-up care, even after being advised to do so by emergency departments (EDs). In situations like these, without a proactive system in place, critical follow-up care could easily fall through the cracks.

Fortunately, Dr. Sneed’s clinic is connected to SHARE HIE. They have a dedicated team member who reviews SHARE reports every weekday, receiving timely alerts on hospital discharges and ER visits for all their patients. On a Tuesday morning, the clinic received a SHARE alert indicating that this child had visited a nearby ER on Monday Night with a fever—a red flag for any patient with a central line due to the risk of bloodstream infections.

Upon reviewing the ER clinical summary through SHARE, Dr. Sneed noted that while the child had been diagnosed with an ear infection and discharged on oral antibiotics, the lab results included abnormal values and a pending blood culture. Based on this information, Dr. Sneed’s team immediately contacted the family and scheduled an urgent follow-up visit for that afternoon.

As part of their internal protocol, the clinic nurse checked the status of the blood culture shortly before the patient arrived—and discovered it had turned positive for infection earlier that morning. Despite this, the ER had not contacted the family to report the result or initiate follow-up care.

Thanks to the SHARE alert and proactive monitoring, Dr. Sneed’s clinic was able to act before the child became septic. He was immediately transferred to Arkansas Children’s Hospital, where he received IV antibiotics for two weeks and had his central line replaced due to infection. Early intervention prevented a potentially life-threatening situation.

This case highlights how SHARE enables providers to close dangerous gaps in care—especially for high-risk, medically complex, and socially vulnerable patients.

Benefits of Using SHARE HIE in Day-to-Day Patient Care:

• Real-Time Alerts: Providers receive timely notifications of hospitalizations, ER visits, and discharges, enabling proactive outreach and follow-up care.
• Comprehensive Clinical Summaries: Access to lab results, radiology reports, discharge summaries, and progress notes—even when care is delivered outside the clinic—supports more informed, coordinated care.
• Improved Care for Non-Compliant or High-Risk Families: SHARE enables providers to intervene even when patients do not follow through with post-discharge instructions or appointments.
• Enhanced Workflow: Clinical and support staff can quickly access needed documentation through SHARE, reducing the burden of chasing down records via fax or phone calls.
• Better Outcomes: Early identification of abnormal findings, as in this case, allows for timely treatment and prevention of complications such as sepsis.
• Collaborative Care: SHARE supports integration and communication among PCPs, specialists, hospitals, home health agencies, and behavioral health providers assuring everyone on the care team has access to the same information.
• Compliance with 21st Century Cures Act: Ensures data sharing requirements are met while advancing interoperability goals that benefit patients and providers alike.

Dr. Sneed’s experience is a clear demonstration of how SHARE HIE helps primary care-pediatrician providers deliver safer, smarter, and more responsive care, especially for the most vulnerable patients in our communities.

About The Children’s Clinic

The Children’s Clinic of Jonesboro was founded by Dr. Charles Kemp in 1959 and is one of the most longstanding pediatric clinics in the state of Arkansas. Over the years, the clinic has constantly grown and evolved to better meet the needs of the families they serve. The clinic has a daily walk-in clinic on Monday-Friday and on Saturday mornings. Additionally, they provide care to a large population of children with complex health care needs.

Learn more: https://jbrkids.com