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Learn more about HealthInfoNet at our redesigned website
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| Major State Funding Secured Despite Budget Shortfalls
Governor John Baldacci has signed a two-year state budget that included $1.7 million in funding for HealthInfoNet. Despite a serious state budget shortfall that forced many established programs to be downsized or even eliminated, support for HealthInfoNet saw growing support during the six-month session and legislators finally were able to find a way to fund Maine's statewide health information exchange. State funding will be used to complete the current demonstration phase and secure substantial federal matching funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). ARRA includes nearly $20 billion meant to accelerate the adoption of health information technology across the nation, Federal grants and low interest loans will soon be available to physicians and hospitals who need to acquire electronic medical records and other systems. Providers must, however, must demonstrate their participation in an exchange such as HealthInfoNet.to be eligible for the new federal grants and loans. This spring work began on a statewide health IT strategy for Maine.
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| "HealthInfoNet's secure clinical data repository now includes well over 400,000 individuals----that's one third of Maine's entire population. After five years of planning and development, we're now ready to demonstrate how Maine's statewide exchange will help improve the coordination of care and moderate the growth of health costs." Devore Culver, HealthInfoNet Executive Director
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Clinical Use of HealthInfoNet's Secure Data Repository Will Begin This Month
After five years of planning and development, HealthInfoNet is scheduled to "go live" with the first clinical use of Maine's statewide health information exchange (HIE) in July. This will make Maine the second state in the nation to begin operating a statewide electronic HIE.
HealthInfoNet will open access this summer for the first time to patient-specific clinical information included in the system's secure statewide database.
Providers participating in HealthInfoNet's 24-month demonstration phase will have access to data on more than 400,000 patients whose information has been added to the system in recent months. After the mid-2010 completion of the demonstration phase, access to the system will be broadened to other providers. Over time, the database will grow to include clinical information for most Maine residents (except those who choose to "opt out.") To date, fewer than 2,000 individuals have decided not to participate in the HIE. Click here to learn more about HealthInfoNet's demonstration phase.
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Nation's Top Health IT Official Will Visit Maine In July |
Dr. David Blumenthal, the senior member of the Obama Administration charged with developing and driving the nation's health information technology strategic plan, will be coming to Maine on July 31 to keynote the annual Hanley Leadership Forum in Portland. HealthInfoNet also expects to take advantage of Dr. Blumenthal's visit to publicly announce the system's "go live" milestone.
"This is a very important opportunity for Maine, HealthInfoNet, and all of the organizations participating in the demonstration phase to showcase what we have accomplished," explains HealthInfoNet's Executive Director, Devore Culver. "Maine is in a leadership position as our nation works to transform the way health care is delivered through the development of new electronic systems." Dr. Blumenthal serves as the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology (ONCHIT), within the federal Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Blumenthal most recently served as a physician and director of the Institute for Health Policy at The Massachusetts General Hospital/Partners HealthCare System in Boston, Mass. He was also Samuel O. Thier Professor of Medicine and Professor of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School. There, he also served as director of the Harvard University Interfaculty Program for Health Systems Improvement. Prior to that, he was senior vice president at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital and served as executive director of the Center for Health Policy and Management and as a lecturer on Public Policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Click here to register for the Hanley Forum.
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Maine's Health Privacy Laws Now Recognize Information Exchanges
Just days before the legislative session ended, lawmakers amended the state's health care privacy statute, recognizing the existence of electronic health information exchanges and clarifying their role in clinical information-sharing for the purpose of patient treatment. This action followed the enactment of similar changes to federal privacy laws (included in ARRA). The Maine Attorney General's office and the Department of Health and Human Services initiated this request for a change to the state law that governs the use and sharing of patient-level medical information. |
| Free Toolkit Describes Impact of Electronic Health Information-Sharing Systems
A free electronic "toolkit" has been designed by states participating in a national health information security and privacy grant program sponsored by the federal Health and Human Services Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). The toolkit is intended to build understanding and awareness about how HIE's will help providers improve coordination of care, enhance quality and patient safety, and moderate the growth of costs.
Maine physicians, hospitals and others interested in learning more about health information exchanges and the nation's transition to other electronic systems are urged to access this "toolkit." Click here to connect to this resource.Physicians may earn "no cost" CME's by reviewing this toolkit. | |
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