HIE Portal to Include Access to PMP
HealthInfoNet's users routinely ask for access to the State's Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PMP) through the health information exchange (HIE) portal. They tell us that with so many different electronic information systems, they simply don't have time to check them all. The PMP is a tool created to help detect likely prescription drug abuse, a problem that has been on the rise in Maine for over a decade. The PMP maintains a database of all controlled substances dispensed in the State of Maine. This database is available to clinicians who prescribe and fill these medications. The hope is that through use of the PMP portal, clinicians can better identify drug-seekers. But, many recent reports show that this system is not routinely used, because it represents yet one more place health care practitioners need to look for information, in an already cumbersome and time-consuming workflow.
That's why HealthInfoNet is thrilled to announce that The Maine Office of Substance Abuse, which operates the PMP, and HealthInfoNet have been awarded a federal grant to create an access point to the PMP within the HealthInfoNet clinical portal. Using HealthInfoNet to access the PMP will improve the use of both the PMP and HealthInfoNet. HealthInfoNet will begin work on the project this fall.
For more information contact Shaun Alfreds at salfreds@hinfonet.org
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HealthInfoNet Helps Feds Design Low Cost HIE Option
HealthInfoNet staff members were recently invited to Washington, DC to present to the Federal Department of Health and Human Services and White House staff, HealthInfoNet's development of a new method for connecting healthcare organizations to the HIE.
HealthInfoNet was selected by MITRE, a technology partner of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, to test using a new secure, yet simple and low-cost way to exchange health information between separate electronic systems. While hospitals and larger physician practices have the funding and staff to manage interface applications and a dedicated Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection to the HIE, small practices do not have the staffing resources nor the finances to manage this type of high bandwidth connection.
The new transport method is called RHExand requires little IT staffing support and minimal system interfacing to move either Continuity of Care Documents (CCDs) or HL7 messages from a provider's electronic medical record system to HealthInfoNet's clinical data repository. This new transport method is much easier and less expensive to implement, offering a potentially attractive solution for smaller, independent and rural providers to participate with the HIE. HealthInfoNet's Director of IT, Todd Rogow and Developer Aaron Bentley attended the presentation in D.C., with support back home from Developer, Jeffrey Jade.
For more information please contact Todd Rogow at trogow@hinfonet.org.
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Report Confirms Clinician Support for HIE
A recent survey by the Bipartisan Policy Center Health Information Technology Initiative suggests that a majority of clinicians believe use of HIE will result in improvements in care quality, care coordination and practice efficiency. Most of the survey respondents, the majority of which were primary care providers, also felt HIE would help prepare them to participate in new care models as well as third party reporting and incentive programs. But the same survey found many barriers, most notably lack of interoperability, lack of HIE infrastructures, and the cost of interfaces needed for HIE. Read the Center's report and recommendations here.
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New Board Members
 | | Josh Broder |
Joshua "Josh" Broder is President and owner of Tilson Technology Management, a high growth (#901 on the Inc. 5000) team of information technology and telecom professional consultants with a worldwide practice. Tilson provides IT services in software development, project management and information security, as well as telecom services in fiber optic and wireless network deployment for both public and private sector clients. Prior to joining Tilson, Josh served as an Army signal officer leading the team responsible for communications and IT services for US forces in Central Asia. In this role, Josh led the architecting of telemedicine services to US field hospitals in Afghanistan and communications and IT support for the United States humanitarian relief effort following the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan. In addition to HealthInfoNet, Josh serves on the board of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, the ConnectME Authority Advisory Board, and is a Corporator for Bangor Savings Bank. Josh holds a BA from Middlebury College and is a graduate of Leadership Maine's Omicron Class.
 | | Bill Caron |
William "Bill" Caron is the President and Chief Executive Officer for MaineHealth. Prior to his current position, Bill was Executive Vice President and Treasurer at MaineHealth and Vice President and Treasurer at Maine Medical Center. He was previously a Partner with Ernst & Young and headed their East Region healthcare consulting practice in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Bill is a long-time member of the Portland Community Chamber of Commerce and the Regional Chamber, where he has held several officer positions and currently serves as Treasurer. He has been active with the Greater Portland United Way - serving as the Annual Campaign Chair in 2005. Currently, he serves on the People's United Bank Advisory Board and the boards of the Maine Hospital Association and Hospice of Southern Maine. He received his Masters degree in Accounting from Northeastern University and his undergraduate degree from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts.
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Edwina Ducker Joins HealthInfoNet
 | | Edwina Ducker |
Edwina Ducker recently joined HealthInfoNet as Clinical Program Coordinator. She comes to HealthInfoNet from the Maine CDC/Office of Rural Health and Primary Care where she served as Rural Health Manger. Prior to that she was the Outreach Coordinator for the Maine Primary Care Association and worked in several Central Maine social services agencies. A native of Ireland, Edwina holds a Honors Bachelor's in Biochemistry from the Dublin Institute of Technology and studied Chinese Medicine in Shanghai, China. Prior to coming to the US in 2001, she worked in the U.K. in health services administration and operated her own Chinese medical practice. She lives in Waterville with her husband Gavin Ducker, a family physician with Inland Hospital. Contact Edwina at educker@hinfonet.org.
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207-541-9250 or 866-592-4352 |
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