Health information exchange (HIE) between hospitals and other providers increased 41 percent between 2008 and 2012, according to newly released research from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). Results of the study were published Aug. 5 in Health Affairs.
The study – authored by National Coordinator for Health Information Technology Farzad Mostashari, MD, and ONC researchers – indicates that six in 10 hospitals actively exchanged electronic health information with providers and hospitals outside their organization in 2012.
Electronic health records and health information organizations (HIOs) are being used as complementary tools to enable HIE, according to the report. Stage 2 meaningful use, which requires eligible hospitals to exchange data with outside organizations using different EHR systems and share summary of care records during transitions of care, can help accelerate use of HIE as a means to enhance care quality and safety, the report said.
“We know that the exchange of health information is integral to the ongoing efforts to transform the nation’s healthcare system and we will continue to see that grow as more hospitals and other providers adopt and use health IT to improve patient health and care,” said Mostashari in a news release announcing results of the study. “Our new research is crystal clear: Health information exchange is happening and it is growing. But we still have a long road ahead toward universal interoperability.”
Among the study’s specific findings:
- 58 percent of hospitals exchanged data with providers outside their organization in 2012 and hospitals’ exchanges with other hospitals outside their organization more than doubled during the study period.
- Hospitals with basic EHR systems and participating in HIOs had the highest rates of hospital exchange activity in 2012, regardless of the organizational affiliation of the provider exchanging data or the type of clinical information exchanged.
- The proportion of hospitals that adopted at least a basic EHR and participated in an HIO grew more than fivefold from 2008 to 2012.
- Between 2008 and2012, there were significant increases in the percent of hospitals exchanging radiology reports, laboratory results, clinical care summaries, and medication lists with hospitals and providers outside of their organization.
- 84 percent of hospitals that adopted an EHR and participated in a regional HIO exchanged information with providers outside their organization.
However, care summaries and medication lists need more attention, according to the report. The research found that only about one-third of hospitals exchanged clinical care summaries or medication lists with outside providers.
However, care summaries and medication lists need more attention, according to the report. The research found that only about one-third of hospitals exchanged clinical care summaries or medication lists with outside providers.
