What is a RHIO? A Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO) is a group of organizations and stakeholders that has come together for the purpose of electronic data exchange and is focused on improving the quality, safety, and efficiency of healthcare delivery1. What is a HIE? A Health Information Exchange (HIE) is a multi-stakeholder entity that enables the movement of health-related data within state, regional or non-jurisdictional participant groups. These parties have agreed upon use of common technology and applied standards to support the electronic movement of clinical information between disparate health information systems1. What is LBNH? Long Beach Network for Health (LBNH) is a non-profit organization created in 2003 as a Health Information Exchange (HIE) in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As a public private collaboration of physicians, hospitals, health care organizations, and patient advocates, LBNH is committed to improving the quality and continuity of healthcare for area residents through the improved access and use of relevant clinical data. What are the benefits of HIE? HIE allows for improved quality of care through greater access to data across clinical care delivery locations and timely access to patient information at the point of care. Other benefits include: Improvement in patient safety Enhanced patient-physician dialogue and communication through greater access to clinical data Reduction in medical errors Reduced costs by preventing duplication of tests and relieving some administrative burdens Decreased risk of medication and treatment errors through increased accuracy of clinical information Support of chronic disease management and the timely detection of communicable disease outbreaks What kind of clinical information is collected? Long Beach Network for Health currently collects laboratory orders and results, demographic information, medication orders, chart scripts, and allergy information from participating hospitals and medical groups. How is the clinical information used? The clinical information available through LBNH will be used by clinical personnel to enhance patient visits by providing timely information about the health history of the patient while seeking care at one of the participating Emergency Departments. How is the clinical information accessed? Patient information is accessed through the LBNH Physician Portal, a secure web-based viewer within the emergency departments at each of the participating organizations. Who has access to the clinical information? For the pilot project, access to the LBNH Physician Portal is limited to clinicians in Long Beach Memorial Medical Center and LA County Harbor – UCLA Medical Center emergency departments. Users include clinical personnel within these organizations that have been approved for access to the LBNH Portal. These users are the same users who currently have access to a patient’s paper-based clinical information. How will the clinical information be protected? LBNH employs the MedPlus FirstGateways™ product which provides the most advanced information security available and is responsible for patient identification, record location and supplying clinical data to requestors. Patient information is safeguarded through a number of methods which only allow authorized users to view. An audit function also allows LBNH to track every user who accesses patient information. Is LBNH HIPAA compliant? LBNH is fully compliant with all HIPAA privacy and security rules that protect individuals’ medical records and personal health information. Is LBNH collaborating with other HIE’s? LBNH is one of nine HIEs awarded a contract by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for trial implementations of the Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN). LBNH works in cooperation with the other awardees to develop national standards for data exchange only. No actual patient data is shared with external entities at this time. Who are the data providers? The following hospitals and medical groups will be participating in the LBNH Health Information Exchange initially. Additional providers will be added in the future. Long Beach Memorial Medical Center LA County Harbor – UCLA Medical Center Talbert Medical Group Memorial HealthCare IPA Miller Children’s Hospital 1www.himss.org Page updated: July 2008