With the passing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009, almost $36 billion in funding became available for health information technology (HIT). The federal government created the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) committee to oversee the process of HIT integration into the clinical process throughout the United States. Additionally, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) was given the power to issue economic incentives for health care professionals who become successful “meaningful users”. Electronic Medical Records (EMR/EHR) are mandated and, if not in use by the year 2015, monetary penalties will be enforced. To aid in the adoption and utilization of EMRs, as well as to increase the quality and efficiency of medical care, HIEs (Health Information Exchange) have been created to ensure private, patient-centric data sharing.
One of the goals of Coastal Connect Health Information Exchange (CCHIE) is to create an electronic sharing system that will aid in getting our participating physicians to “meaningful use” status. CCHIE will allow providers to communicate and exchange patient information accurately, quickly and confidentially at the point of care. This collaborative will increase the quality and satisfaction of patient care and provide a more consistent and efficient provider workflow.