Who runs HIE?
A regional collaboration of independent healthcare organizations to share clinical information is called a health information exchange (HIE). Sometimes, administrative information is also shared. The way they approach governance may be one way to classify HIEs. They may be managed by a government agency in some countries.
Others HIEs could be managed by non-profit corporations that have a board consisting of community stakeholders. Others are the lines of business for vendors. The final type of HIE is controlled and funded by healthcare delivery organisations (HDOs). This allows them to address their business needs, rather than being neutral for all community stakeholders.
The Health Information Exchange (HIE), which aims to facilitate electronic sharing of patient data across organizations, so it can be available whenever and wherever it is needed by clinicians as well as other key stakeholders.
HIE policies and organizational goal:
Although HIE has been a policy and organizational goal for many years, there is still much to be done. Different types of information can be electronically exchanged regularly, while others cannot; certain communities have developed robust interconnectivity while others do not; and HIE policies are maturing in some countries while others are still developing.
HIE solutions will remain an active domain and will be a top priority for countries that invest in electronic health records. This chapter starts by discussing immediate, pressing HIE issues, which are the main focus of current efforts for HIE advancement. Then, we will address the opportunities for informatics research as well as for professionals. We end by discussing long-term trends which will shape HIE’s future direction.
HIE Runs by Policies and Procedures:
The HIE’s operations are governed by policies and procedures. Many factors need to be considered when they are being developed or revised.
HIPAA privacy rules stipulate that PHI must be made available to patients, maintained in a way that protects data integrity and patient privacy, and is released in compliance with federal and state laws. Appendix B lists the areas to be considered when creating policies and procedures for HIE operations.
Policies and procedures set the expectations for employees. It is essential to clearly define the expectations for workforce members in terms of training and accountability. Management must enforce compliance and education by ensuring that workers have access to all resources, including policies and procedures.
HIE Contracts and security concerns
HIEs often contract with vendors to purchase the technology that they use for exchanging health information. Randall E. Sermons is an HIE attorney who has experience in contracting with vendors for technology. HIEs need to consider how the technology will be delivered, licensing requirements, and data protection capabilities. HIEs must consider unique liability issues, including liability for technology malfunctions or vicarious liability for the acts of data participants.
Complex contracts can be found in single-vendor software or software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions. In-house and custom solutions, tight coordination is required to align contractual provisions.
Complexity is due to the many issues that need to be addressed (e.g. privacy and security concerns and technology issues and interplay of oversight and reliance upon policies that can be amended outside of the traditional contracting process), as well as the coordination of all these issues across multiple contractual relationships.
Patients allow to access clinical information
A health information exchange (HIE), is designed to allow patients to access clinical information at their point of care. HIEs allow health information to be electronically exchanged between disparate healthcare systems, while maintaining information integrity. HIEs can also be used to create a framework for public health reporting, clinical quality measurement, biomedical surveillance and consumer health informatics research.
Trust between the HIE and the patient is key to a successful HIE. HIEs need to develop and implement policies and procedures that guide their operations. This includes how they will secure and maintain protected health information (PHI).
This practice brief describes the policies, procedures and best practices necessary for HIE operations and management. This resource guide is for HIM professionals as well as subject matter experts who are involved in HIEs. (
HIE has been around for less than 20 years. The rapid advancement in technology and standards, as well as the involvement of the government in HIT policy-making have been significant during this period.
Management of health-care system
American health-care system has experienced rapid change. HIE businesses emerged in this context and have seen rapid growth and evolution. These environmental conditions have led to a national obsession with HIE sustainability. This is understandable.
It is possible to run HIE businesses sustainably. Our fragmented, inefficient healthcare system offers ample opportunities to create value. Technology and information are your best tools. Any business capable of creating value can determine the right combination of mission, organization, structure, business model and financial management to be successful.
Sermons suggests that HIEs hire well-educated lawyers to help them develop a contracting strategy for vendors and data participants. This will ensure that both parties are able to work together to meet their needs.
Final Words:
HIEs are a complex system that requires many components to be successful. HIEs need to address all factors that can impact the success of an HIE. Building trust and accountability are key to a successful HIE operation. They also need to monitor and manage compliance and enforce privacy and security protections.
HIEs should also take responsibility for their HIE network. HIE responsibility requires that providers are responsible for protecting the privacy and security records of patients. Patients must also be informed and agree to the HIE’s policies and terms.
HIEs must ensure that security and privacy protections are in place within their network to make them effective. The HIE and covered entities must agree on policies and procedures to ensure privacy and security for all personally identifiable health information. This applies regardless of how the information was captured, stored, transmitted, or disposed of.
