Introduction
In the current dynamic world, there is a huge need for organizations to avail a method of syncing various consumer related information so as to avail quality customer service. This is particularly very vital in the healthcare sector where even the smallest bit of information can play a significant role in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of patients. This paper aims to explore an example of a technology in the healthcare sector that has enabled the syncing of patient related information between various healthcare providers. The technology in question is Health Information Exchange commonly abbreviated as HIE. The paper will begin by defining this technology and will give a little history of the technology. After that, the benefits associated with this technology will be explored and this will be followed by a comprehensive discussion of the methods of addressing privacy and security concerns issues that are associated with this technology. Every technology faces some kind of challenges and as such, the challenges facing HIE will be explored. In addition, the various ways of overcoming these challenges will also be looked at. Finally, a conclusion summarizing all the above information will be written down
Definition:
Health information exchange is the process of electrically or digitally transmitting data related to healthcare among organizations and facilities (United States 2010). Health Information exchange presents the ability and capability to move clinical information electronically across healthcare organizations within a community, a region or even a hospital system. The ultimate goal of HIE is the facilitation of access and retrieval of health data to avail a safer as well as a more efficient , timely, equitable as well as an effective patient centered care. In addition, HIE is often used by public health authorities in analyzing public health.
The current scope of HIE in the health sector:
In the current healthcare sector, Health information exchange is increasingly becoming a popular method for pharmacies, hospitals, emergency rooms and labs to share patient related information (American Health Information Management Association, 2004). This has consequently helped in improving the speed, safety, quality as well as the cost of patient care. However, in spite of the rife accessibility and availability of secure digital data transfer, a lot of Americans’ medical data or information is still stored on paper stocked in the filing cabinets of different medical offices, or in folders and boxes at patient’s homes. In the instances where that medical information is shared between healthcare providers, it usually happens by fax or mail or in some instances through the patients themselves who are charged with the strenuous task of carrying their medical records and information from one doctor’s office to another. While there is no doubt that Health Information Exchange cannot out rightly replace the provider patient communication, it can significantly improve patient’s records completeness as patient’s medical visits often feature a review of current medications, pat history among other vital information (United States 2010).
History of Health Information Exchange
The evolution and development of health information exchange was contributed to primarily by the growing need to improve the quality of healthcare and that of reducing the associated costs. For a couple of decades, various nations including the United States had been experiencing problems related to patient’s healthcare information due to the fact that the healthcare data at that time was typically stored in widespread heath locations. Since there weren’t any reliable or effective clinical information technologies, general pharmacists and doctors were therefore not able to effectively provide patient’s health information and records especially in instances where patients were involved in accidents that took place far away from their personal physicians.
In the 1990’s, various technologists in the healthcare field attempted come up with technology systems such as the Community Health Information Network (CHIN) and the Community Health Management Information (CHIMS). The two systems were initiated with the objective of giving healthcare centers and providers with a chance to gain benefits from patient’s clinical information. According to the National eHealth Collaborative (2013) some of these approaches adopted by health technologists were not significantly successful because the United States federal government did not support them or participate actively in them. In addition, the programs had a shortage of effective strategies of implementation. For example, in the olden days were hugely characterized by typical information storage as many community dispensaries or health centers used physical papers to store the health records of patients.
Things changed in the year 2004, when the Bush administration initiated and funded the Regional Health Informal Organization abbreviated as RHIO. This organization was mainly developed to boost health information exchange. Because this organization was a project of government, there was no doubt that it was meant to succeed. The effectiveness of the RHIO in boosting health information exchange inadvertently enabled more funding and investments in clinical information technology o improve the efficiency of general healthcare. In turn, this led to the development of another effective and efficient healthcare promoting body, the National Health Information Network or the NHIN (United States 2010).
Things even got better in year 2009 when the practice of health information exchange was further boosted by passing and subsequent enactment of the HITECH Act. HITECH in this case stands for Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health. According to Madeira (2009), this particular legislation covers the ability of health information exchange between different healthcare providers. Additionally, the legislation integrates health privacy in its domain and this can be deduced from its staunch stand on the security, confidentiality and privacy of patient information. Moreover in 2010, the government progressed the National Health Information Network (NHIN) which blocks some government agencies from gaining aces to the health information of various people therefore improving health information exchange efficiency.
Benefits of HIE
- Reduction of medical and medication errors therefore improving quality of healthcare and safety of patients
Accurate and proper of a patient’s medical ailment or defect is one of the most crucial factors in the health care. There is huge need for accurate patient diagnosis so that corrective measures can be taken. However, this does not always happen and misdiagnosis is a common feature across many health circles. According to the American Health Information Management Association (2004), Misdiagnosis leads to medication and medication errors, factors that may aggravate the negative health condition of the patient even further. Unavailability of patient information has been cited as one of the primary contributors of medical and medication errors. Lack of patient’s prior health history or current medication may hugely limit the ability of a physician to make proper diagnosis. HIE avails a huge benefit here in that it enables the digital transmission of electronic data across various health circles. This information inadvertently boosts the capability of medical doctors to make proper and accurate health diagnosis and therefore reduce the occurrence of medical and medication errors and wholly improving the quality of healthcare and the safety of patients.
- Elimination of unnecessary paperwork thus increasing efficiency
Health Information Exchange helps to save time and improve efficiency by eliminating unnecessary paperwork that normally characterizes traditional health information storage and exchange. Through the use of digital pr electronic methods, information exchange becomes a relatively easy task that is less strenuous and that takes a relatively short time to be completed.
- Stimulation of consumer education as well as patient’s active involvement in their self healthcare
HIE helps to stimulate patient’s interest as well as involvement in their healthcare. There is a higher probability that patients will explore their medical records or information when they are being transmitted through electronic means.
- Provision of critical decision support tools to caregivers that lead to more effective treatment and care
Through health information exchange, clinical caregivers can gain access to patient’s clinical data and information that equip them with effective decision tools in regards to aspects such as type of care, medication, drug therapy amongst others. This will lead to more effective health treatment and care
- Elimination of unnecessary testing and redundancy
Through health information exchange, physicians can acquire information regarding prior medical tests done on a patient that revealed various medical aspects. Consequently, time can be saved on repetitive and unnecessary tests that have absolutely no effect on a patient’s health advancement. This also helps in reducing general health redundancy.
- Improvement of public health monitoring and improvement
Health Information Exchange technology is accompanied by strict policy rules on issues such as privacy, security and confidentiality. This does not however limit the power of federal health authorities to look at the health information exchange traffic and use it as tool to monitor public health trends and use the information to come up with ways of improving national public health.
- Provision of a feedback loop between health research and actual practice
Health Information Health Technology provides a feedback loop and the actual practice of health care. It avails a platform through which data collected from the field can be disseminated into actual health practice and feedback generated on the reliability and validity of this research.
- Facilitation of efficient exploitation of emerging technology as well as health care
Technology is currently advancing at a very high rate and as such, the health sectors should not be left behind. Health Information exchange provides a platform through which this emerging technology can be exploited in the medical field and used to improve healthcare
- Addressing Privacy and Security Concerns issues
Hoyt and Bailey (2012) state the health information exchange’s primary objective is to boost the security and privacy of the health information of patients. The two note that several government health authorities have utilized different information technologies that improve healthcare services availability and accessibility and also address the security and privacy measures that are required by the authorities in patient’s health data sharing. Security and privacy of health information is vital is trust is to built between medical care providers and patients.
Some of the ways through which security and privacy issues are addressed include:
Security management processes that identifies security and privacy breach risks and implements adequate measures
These processes regularly monitor the HIE process to identify security and privacy breaches.
Information access management- limiting disclosures and uses of electronic health exchange
The HITECH Act places limits on the extent of information disclosure and use of health information exchange. The Act for instance indicates clearly the legal perspectives which bind health care providers in regards to the uses and disclosure of health information exchange (United States, 2010).
Work force management and training
All the workers and personnel involved in the HIE process undergo various training programs regarding the process and are educated on matters such as security, confidentiality and privacy of health information.
Evaluation
This is simply the process through which evaluative procedures are put into effect to ensure that all policies related to health information security and privacy are being abided to.
Designation of security personnel responsible for implementing security procedures and policies
Here, security personnel are utilized to physically implement security and privacy policies and procedures.
Current Challenges of HIE
Meaningful use
This is challenge where HIE fails to be utilized for the use it was intended for. HIE is supposed to be used to avail information to medical practitioners to enable them to make better decisions regarding healthcare. HIE may however be misused for purposed other than the ones indicated (National eHealth Collaborative, 2013).
Legal Implications
Several legal implications often prove to be a stumbling block in the efficient implementation of HIE. Some physicians may not be fully conversant with legal policies that govern the use of HIE and may therefore use the technology suspicious and in a reserved manner due to fear of legal consequences (Harman 2006).
Costs
The costs of implementing a credible and a viable HIE system may be particularly high especially in areas where there is no solid technological framework.
Confidentiality, Privacy and Security
Although there are strict measures regulating these, it is very common to witness privacy and security breaches in HIE implementation. This is in fact one of the biggest challenges facing HIE.
Overcoming Challenges
Physician Education
Redundancy and lack of meaningful use can be eliminated by educating physicians on the proper use of HIE technology
Enactment of legal reforms that are related to HIE
Such reforms would help to reduce the increasing occurrences of security and privacy breach of patient’s health information
Ensuring of technical efficiency
For the benefits of HIE to be realized fully, there is a need for technical competency and efficiency of the equipment and the resources involved. The resources and equipment should be up to date and should also be regulalrly checked and taken through maintenance procedures.
Modified administrative processes
In cases where the administrative processes proves to be a stumbling block in the effective implementation and use of HIE, the processes should be modified to suit the needs of HIE or completely overhauled and replaced by new ones (Nelson 2002).
Conclusion
References
Harman, L. B., & American Health Information Management Association (2006). Ethical challenges in the management of health information. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
National eHealth Collaborative (2013). Challenges and Barriers to Successful HIE Implementation | National eHealth Collaborative. Retrieved November 28, 2013, from http://www.nationalehealth.org/challenges-and-barriers-successful-hie-implementation
Nelson, D. E. (2002). Communicating public health information effectively: A guide for practitioners. Washington, D.C: American Public Health Association.
American Health Information Management Association (2004). Perspectives in health information management. Chicago, Ill.: American Health Information Management Association.
United States (2010). Electronic personal health information exchange: Health care entities' reported disclosure practices and effects on quality of care : report to congressional committees. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Govt. Accountability Office.
Hoyt, R. E. & Bailey, N. J. (2012). Health informatics: Practical guide for healthcare and information technology professionals. Raleigh, N.C.: Lulu.com.
