National Health Information Exchange Survey Shows Increased Activity, Cost Savings, Positive Impact on Physician...((34). Alerts to providers (31)....),Health

• More health information initiatives are exchanging data, with increases in the type of data exchanged nearly across the board. The number of initiatives currently exchanging data:
• Laboratory data increased to 49 initiatives, up from 26 in 2008.
• Medication data (including outpatient prescriptions) 48 initiatives are currently exchanging.
• Outpatient laboratory increased to 45, up from 25 in 2008.
• Outpatient episodes increased to 43, up from 23 in 2008.
• Radiology results increased to 39, up from 23 in 2008.
• Emergency department episodes increased to 36, up from 27 in 2008.
  

• Health information exchange initiatives are less dependent upon federal funding.
  • Seventy-one initiatives reported they are not dependent on federal funding, up from 64 initiatives in 2008.
  • At the same time, 90 respondents hope or expect to receive funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
    

"One of the greatest challenges has been our ability to spread best practices in health information exchange," added Covich. "Cost savings and improved quality of care need to be better documented, so we can replicate what works and help create a health care system that connects clinicians and providers. We have a great opportunity to expand HIE efforts with the new funding coming out in 2009 and 2010 through the Recovery Act. We need to take advantage of this moment in time, when health information technology and health information exchange enjoy broad support. We might not get another."

The report is available on the eHI Website at
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