CalRHIO's statewide HIE system implemented in Orange County

Oct 15 2009

The first site in CalRHIO's statewide health information exchange (HIE) system is live in Orange County at Coastal Communities Hospital. As a result of collaboration between CalRHIO and the local HIE effort, the Orange County Partnership Regional Health Information Organization (OCPRHIO), 23 hospital emergency departments over the next five months will have secure electronic access to critical medical information. HIE is a major piece of the Obama Administration's health reform initiative and the focus of the state as it develops a plan to apply for HIE federal stimulus funds.

Initially data will be provided on 380,000 patients enrolled in CalOptima, which covers people in Medi-Cal, Medicare, and Healthy Kids. During 2010, more data sources will be added to the CalRHIO HIE, including prescription history, laboratory results, and additional clinical claims information. Additional Orange County providers will have access to the data as well, in support of OCPRHIO and State of California strategic plans.

By leveraging CalRHIO's technology platform, provided by its technology partner Medicity, OCPRHIO chose not to incur the time and expense of building its own data exchange system. Orange County physicians are assured that they can communicate with other doctors and hospitals across the state, as well as the national network.

"Our physicians and nurses are very excited about having this new source of information," said Nova Stewart, OCPRHIO Chair and Chief Information Officer of Integrated Healthcare Holdings, Inc. Four Integrated Healthcare Holdings Inc. hospitals are the first to begin using the new HIE system - Coastal Communities Hospital, Western Medical Center Anaheim, Western Medical Center Santa Ana, and Chapman Medical Center. "We believe that having access to patient data in the emergency department will enable us to better serve our patients," Stewart said.

"This is a new and innovative system that will benefit ER physicians in Orange County," said Patrick Aguilera, MD, Coastal Communities Hospital Emergency Room Medical Director. "It will allow physicians to communicate with each other efficiently using the notes tool. The ability to view a list of the patient's medications and other data is key to providing quality treatment to patients."

"The launch demonstrates how communities can affordably and efficiently bring the benefits of electronic health information exchange to their residents," said Molly Coye, MD, MPH, CalRHIO's President and CEO. "While we are starting with emergency departments, CalRHIO will also bring patient data to physician offices and clinics around the state." Use of the health information is restricted to patient care and is protected and exchanged under strict medical privacy and confidentiality regulations.

"As a former emergency physician, I take particular pride in the fact that Medicity's technology is being leveraged to improve patient care in Orange County emergency departments by providing timely patient information needed to support effective clinical decision-making," said James K. Lassetter, M.D., Medicity's CEO. "Medicity's solution will tie these EDs to both local and statewide sources of patient information through the CalRHIO infrastructure. Our HIE technology is designed to support our nation's health care goals of interconnecting clinicians and health care organizations in support of the ARRA's goals of meaningful use, consumer engagement, and quality reporting. Connecting Orange County and the State of California is an important step toward that goal."