This assignment reinforces information in your textbook and concepts presented in this unit.
Read the article entitled, “Health information exchange: persistent challenges and new strategies”, which can be found at this link (Links to an external site.). After reading the article, please respond to the following questions:
- Summarize two factors in our society that underscore the need for changes to the state of isolated, fragmented health information. (One paragraph is an appropriate length)
- Policy makers, researchers, industry groups, and healthcare professionals identify health information exchange (HIE) as a solution to these problems. Compare and contrast the one problem and one lesson learned from each of the following: Community Health Management Information Systems, Community health information networks, and Regional health information organizations. (One paragraph per system is an appropriate length).
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
As a medical professor, I have designed an assignment for college students focusing on the challenges and new strategies in Health Information Exchange (HIE). This article summarizes the need for changes in the state of fragmented health information in our society and the solutions provided by HIE. The article also discusses the problems and lessons learned from different HIE systems such as Community Health Management Information Systems, Community health information networks, and Regional health information organizations.
Answer:
Two factors in our society that underscore the need for changes in the state of isolated, fragmented health information are the rapid growth of healthcare information and the need for quality patient care. The increasing amount of information generated by healthcare providers has become difficult to manage and can result in medical errors or delays in diagnosis. Furthermore, the need for quality patient care demands that healthcare providers have access to accurate and timely patient information, which may not be readily available due to fragmentation in health information.
Community Health Management Information Systems (CHMIS) and Community Health Information Networks (CHIN) focus on providing electronic medical records and sharing patient information among local healthcare providers. CHMIS aim to improve patient outcomes by reducing medical errors and promoting evidence-based practices. CHINs aim to improve the communication and coordination of care between healthcare providers by sharing patient information. One problem with CHMIS is the feasibility of implementation, as it requires significant investments in technology, infrastructure, and training. A lesson learned from CHIN is the importance of establishing trust and building relationships between healthcare providers, which can promote effective information sharing.
The Regional Health Information Organizations (RHIOs) aim to share patient data among various healthcare organizations at the regional level. The RHIOs focus on providing access to a comprehensive electronic health record for patients, which allows healthcare providers to deliver better care by having access to a patient’s medical history, diagnoses, and treatments. One problem with RHIOs is the complexity of data sharing and the need for standardization of data. A lesson learned from RHIOs is the importance of addressing privacy and security concerns, which can encourage participation and protect patient information.
In conclusion, the use of HIE solutions such as CHMIS, CHINs, and RHIOs can help address the challenges of fragmented health information. However, the implementation and sustainability of these solutions require significant investments, standardization of data, and addressing privacy and security concerns.
