Hoosier Health Care - Innovation Challenge

Friday, July 12
Hine Hall at IUPUI
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Be an innovator in the growing health care digital technology industry in Indianapolis! Clinicians, entrepreneurs and developers are encouraged to attend the Hoosier Health Care Innovation Challenge on July 12 to hear challenges posed by area hospitals and health care organizations, form teams, and begin to form solutions. Teams will have an opportunity to submit solutions to the Challenge voting panel.

Hoosier Code 4 Health

Saturday, July 13 and Sunday, July 14
 

Get even more involved with health care digital technology at Hoosier Code 4 Health! As the first ever health-focused code-a-thon in Indiana, you will analyze large data sets, receive input from industry experts, and pitch solutions all within 48 hours.

IPLA’s prescription monitoring program, INSPECT, and their Medical Licensing Board of Indiana both win national award. 

The Indiana Professional Licensing Agency’s (IPLA) prescription monitoring program, INSPECT, received national recognition recently when it was awarded the Administrators in Medicine (AIM) “Best of Boards” award on April 17, 2013.  The award recognized both INSPECT and the Medical Licensing Board of Indiana’s recent efforts to become the 1^st state nationally to integrate prescription drug monitoring data into an electronic healthcare system.

Indiana E-Prescribing has eclipsed 10,000 e-prescribers (10,015 in Dec 2012)

The basic definition of e-prescribing is an electronic transmission of prescription information from a prescriber’s computer, such as a physician, to a pharmacy computer. Hopefully, a patient carrying (or faxing) in a paper prescription will be a thing of the past. E-prescribing will improve patient safety by reducing the possibility of a prescribing error due to various causes including poor handwriting or ambiguous nomenclature. E-prescribing will electronically send an accurate, error-free and understandable prescription directly to a pharmacy from the point-of care.

Indiana has increased the adoption rages of e-prescribing by education, incentives and media efforts. Adoption rates of e-prescribing and electronic medical record (EMR) systems are on the upswing, as prescribers in the ambulatory care segment are increasingly realizing their ability to save lives and costs, through clinical automation. Indian also had 1.86 million e-prescription transactions (e-scripts) which is an average of 185 e-scripts a month for each provider.

Here is Indiana’s latest numbers:

In 2011, Surescripts partnered with PBMs (pharmacy benefit manager) and retail pharmacies to compare the effectiveness of e-prescriptions and paper prescriptions on first fill medication adherence. The data showed a consistent 10% increase in patient first fill medication adherence (i.e., new prescriptions that were picked up by the patient) among physicians who adopted e-prescribing technology. The analysis suggests that the increase in first fill medication adherence combined with other e-prescribing benefits could, over the next 10 years, lead to between $140 billion and $240 billion in health care cost savings and improved health outcomes.

 For more information on Surescripts and e-prescribing visit:

http://www.surescripts.com/about-e-prescribing.aspx

Immunization Reporting Across Michigan and Indiana Border

September 25, 2012 - Novi, Michigan. Organizations in Michigan and Indiana have successfully established a secure infrastructure to transmit health data across state lines. The connection has been established by the Michigan Health Information Network (MiHIN) and the Michiana Health Information Network (MHIN)  a provider of Health Information Exchange (HIE) services for Indiana as well as other Midwestern states. This initiative is the first phase of MiHIN's multi-state effort to facilitate the routing and exchange of immunization data between providers who attend to Michigan residents in other states and Michigan's health information registries.

As a critical first step to establish a more precise recording of immunization data in the two states, both organizations anticipate this exchange of new information will allow for more accurate patient history and better health care.

 "Working with Indiana through Michiana's MHIN fills information gaps by exchanging health information with our neighboring state for our shared citizens in border areas. With so many of our residents crossing state lines for care in our neighbor states of Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Wisconsin, we have to remember that healthcare knows no boundaries and adapt accordingly for the health and welfare of our citizens," said Jeff Livesay, MiHIN Associate Director.  "After connecting our next-door neighbors here in the Midwest we will reach out to 'snowbird' states like Florida and Arizona where so many of our citizens enjoy pleasant winters."

MiHIN and MHIN leveraged technology from the Direct Project to achieve secure interstate connectivity. The Direct Project is a national protocol endorsed by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC HIT).  Direct is a form of "secure email" that enables use of the Internet to securely transport health information between healthcare participants who have a certified "trust" relationship.

One of MiHIN's early goals using the Direct Project is to utilize Direct secure email accounts to send immunization records for Michigan citizens receiving care from health care providers in another state, in this case, Indiana.

"The connection between Michigan and Indiana underscores the importance of technology within healthcare," said Tom Liddell, Executive Director of MHIN. "This project is just one more way that health information exchanges can step up and make an effort to improve the care of our most important population, our children. That's what this is all about."

The early success of the Michigan-Indiana pilot has led both organizations to expand their projects to improve the electronic routing and exchange of immunization data with other states. 

About Michigan Health Information Network (MiHIN) Shared Services www.mihin.org  

MiHIN is dedicated to improving the healthcare experience, increasing quality and decreasing cost for Michigan's people by supporting the statewide exchange of health information and making accurate and timely health care data available at the point of care.  MiHIN is the official state designated entity for health information exchange across Michigan and the future integration with the Nationwide Health Information Network (NwHIN).  MiHIN is a Michigan nonprofit entity, functioning as a public and private collaboration between the State of Michigan, sub-state Health Information Exchanges, payers, providers, and patients.

About Michiana Health Information Network (MHIN)

As a health information exchange incorporated in 1999, MHIN is committed to improving healthcare quality in the communities they serve. Through a variety of communication solutions, MHIN connects healthcare providers throughout the Midwest, ensuring that they have immediate access to the information they need to take care of their patients. For more information, visit www.mhin.com.

###

Michigan Health Information Network (MiHIN) Contact:

Lisa Fotenakes

        MiHIN Shared Services

        517.336.5714

         This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 Michiana Health Information Network (MHIN) Contact:

Kellie Collier

Marketing Coordinator, MHIN

(574) 968-4328

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Disease-tracking app wins HHS developers contest

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 

From PledgeIT (HHS/ONC);

We invite you to join a volunteer effort to “automate the Blue Button” and develop standards and specifications that would allow patients to not only download their health information to their personal computer, but also to privately and securely automate the sending of that data to their preferred holding place.  This initiative will kick-off with a webinar on Wednesday, August 15^th from 4:00 – 5:00PM Eastern. 

To register, go to: http://wiki.siframework.org/ABBI+Kickoff+Meeting+Registration

Why? Consumer Access is A Big Priority

At the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC), we have been placing increasing emphasis on consumers and patients--empowering them to be partners in their health through information technology. What can consumers do with their health data?

·         Better understand their health and make more informed decisions

·         Help to make sure that they and all of their care team members are on the same page

·         Improve the accuracy and completeness of the information

·         Plug it into apps and tools that promise to make information truly available when and where it’s needed

Underpinning all of these actions is electronic access to health data, which most Americans don’t yet have. But soon access to this information may be a reality for more patients and their family members.

It’s called Blue Button.  Two years ago, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) added a simple, easy to recognize “Blue Button” to their patient portal (My HealtheVet), which gave individual users the opportunity to download their data to their personal computer.

Since then, the use of Blue Button has grown into a movement – a commitment by many of the country’s largest data holders – including the Federal government – to get personal health information out of proprietary silos and into the hands of the consumers who want a holistic picture of their health and health care.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid, TRICARE, United HealthCare, Aetna, and the Department of Defense have all begun offering individual’s own health care data (or will soon offer their data) to their beneficiaries in a printable, downloadable format supported by the Blue Button specifications.  Several hundreds of thousands of veterans, members of the military, and Medicare beneficiaries have already downloaded their data through Blue Button.

Many of you have been direct contributors to this effort through the ONC Pledge Program, the Patient Access Summit, and other avenues, and our thanks go to you for making this important tool available to your members .

Join Us Aug 15: Automating Blue Button Initiative Webinar

Now, ONC and VA are collaborating to take this movement one step further, and we’d like you to join us.

We need experts to develop standards, developers to pilot the technology, innovations to push the envelope, and patients and providers to test that it works. For example, this initiative could enable patients to have their doctors or insurance companies automatically “copy them” on any updates to their personal health information. In another scenario, patients could “subscribe” to feeds that privately and securely send them updates to their health information, much as they currently subscribe to podcasts and news feeds.

The new effort will be a key part of the ONC’s Pledge Program in 2012-2013. It will be run through the Standards and Interoperability (S&I) Framework: a self-organizing, open, collaborative community of volunteers from the public and private sectors who are focused on providing the tools, services, and guidance to facilitate the functional exchange of health information.

Please join us for a webinar on Wednesday August 15, 2012 from 4:00 to 5:00 PM Eastern to learn more about the Automate Blue Button initiative, its charter, and timelines. To register for the webinar, go to http://wiki.siframework.org/ABBI+Kickoff+Meeting+Registration

NEW ONLINE TOOL LETS HOOSIERS ACCESS IMMUNIZATION RECORDS

Judy Murphy, Deputy National Coordinator for Programs and Policy Office of the National Coordinator	From Left to Right;  Dave McCormick, Chris Mickens, Dr. Deanna Willis, Dr. Gregory Larkin, Judy Murphy, Andrew VanZee

INDIANAPOLIS—State and federal officials announced today the unveiling of “MyVaxIndiana,” the new groundbreaking online tool from the Indiana State Department of Health that provides Hoosiers direct access to their immunization records from any computer. 

“Our goal is to further improve immunization rates of Hoosiers by providing parents and patients ready on line access to their own vaccine records, 24 /7,” said State Health Commissioner Gregory Larkin, M.D.  “Having both the health care provider and the patient completely understand what vaccines have been given and what are further recommended will add to vaccine compliance. Additionally, once the provider gives the patient his/her individual Patient Identification Number (PIN), immunization records for school, travel or personal care are available on the patient’s on-line request.”

An individual may access their immunization record on the secure website by entering their date of birth and a personal identification number (PIN) which must be requested from their healthcare provider or local health department in advance. Immunization history, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s ACIP Immunization Schedule can then be viewed, with the option to download, print, or fax the record.

All MyVaxIndiana records appear as they are maintained in the Indiana Children and Hoosiers Immunization Registry Program (CHIRP). MyVaxIndiana complements CHIRP, which is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Approximately 4 million Hoosiers have “active” records in CHIRP, which is defined as having two or more vaccines entered.

MyVaxIndiana was created by the Indiana State Department of Health through a technology grant from the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) in response to the ONC Consumer Innovation challenge to provide consumer’s access to their health information.

“I applaud Indiana for being a leader and innovator in providing patients with access to their immunization history” said Judy Murphy, Deputy National Coordinator for Programs and Policy at the Office of the National Coordinator. “We are excited to have been able to help support this initiative. I would encourage every state to provide patients access to their immunization history.”

The goals of the new MyVaxIndiana tool are to improve state immunization rates, to empower Hoosiers to become a partner in managing their healthcare, and to reduce the burden of office visits.

Indiana has recently seen an increase in adolescent immunization rates due to increased immunization requirements, interagency partnerships and dedicated state funding over the past school year. According to the most recent CDC National Immunization Survey for Teens (NIS-Teen), teen immunization rates in Indiana have increased by 60 to 70 percent in some cases from 2009 to 2010.

However, outbreaks in the state such as the three outbreaks of measles which have occurred over the past two years emphasize the need for further improvement in immunization rates.

For more information about MyVaxIndiana, visit www.MyVaxIndiana.in.gov or the Indiana State Department of Health’s website at www.StateHealth.in.gov.

On June 21st, in Indiana and Ohio, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched a pilot program that promises to give prescribers another powerful tool for combating prescription drug abuse.  To read more about it visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/news-releases-remarks/new-health-IT-effort-reducing-rx-drug-abuse

Health department officials have a new tool for use with CHIRP; see its debut in a webinar May 30

The Indiana State Department of Health is developing a new Web tool that will give individuals direct access to immunization records within the Children and Hoosier’s Immunization Registry Program (CHIRP). The tool is still in the development stages and ISDH officials would like your feedback.

The new CHIRP feature, intended to ease the burden of office visits and empower parents to manage their child’s care, is tentatively set to roll out July 1. Physicians, local health departments and school nurses will all play a role in its success.

Therefore, the ISDH invites you to attend a webinar Wednesday, May 30, from 12 – 1:30 p.m. EST to introduce the draft tool, explore how it will impact you, and answer your questions. This video will be recorded and accessible for viewing following the webinar.

View the online link for Streaming Video here. After opening the link, go to “Live Videos” and select the appropriate Live Streaming Video. The State Health Commissioner will provide additional details soon via email.

X-Rays in the Cloud: Indiana Health Information Exchange and SeeMyRadiology.com partner
to make medical image sharing easier in Indiana

ImageZonemakes medical images available when and where they are needed most

INDIANAPOLIS – May 8, 2012 – Indiana Health Information Exchange, Inc. (IHIE), the nation’s largest health information exchange, together with SeeMyRadiology.com, a cloud-based medical imaging platform, are making it easier for Indiana physicians and hospitals to access and share radiology images with the launch of ImageZone.

ImageZone is a cloud-based medical image sharing platform that provides a digital alternative to the traditional methods of sharing radiology images on hard copy films and CDs. The platform enables healthcare providers to securely access and share patient medical images, such as X-rays, mammograms, MRIs, ultrasounds and CT scans, in real time. ImageZone will be offered in Indiana exclusively through IHIE and is powered by SeeMyRadiology.com’s cloud computing platform, which adheres to all HIPAA compliance standards, and is equipped with sophisticated encryption and compression technology allowing secure image sharing, routing and viewing via a single online community.

“Giving providers timely access to accurate and diagnostic-quality medical images can make an immediate impact on patient health, particularly in urgent care situations when doctors may not have time to re-image a patient,” said Dr. Joshua Nelson, chief medical officer for IHIE. “We are pleased to be working with SeeMyRadiology.com to provide this service to hospitals and medical specialty groups throughout Indiana because it will make a positive difference in how treatment is delivered.” 

IHIE selected SeeMyRadiology.com because of the platform’s ability to cater to the varied image sharing needs of all the health information exchange’s (HIE) members. This offering is important in today’s healthcare environment, which places a significant emphasis on provider collaboration during the care process.

“HIEs are critical to improving patient care and safety as well as reducing costs for providers,” said Willie Tillery, chief executive officer at SeeMyRadiology.com. “To maximize the value they can deliver, HIEs must be equipped with solutions that allow for the rapid and secure transmission of patient information. SeeMyRadiology.com’s broad range of features ─ from basic image exchange to complex physician and patient sharing initiatives, mobility and systems integration ─ will enhance IHIE’s services and improve the organization’s care coordination over time.”

For example, ImageZone will impact the care process for transferring trauma patients ─ a situation that frequently requires healthcare providers from rural and specially-equipped facilities to quickly exchange medical images. ImageZone will allow providers to share images digitally from any PC or mobile device with an Internet connection, rather than manually via CD or hard copy films, which can be lost or unreadable. In addition, ImageZone’s digital sharing platform will ensure that receiving physicians obtain images immediately and securely, enabling them to administer life-saving treatment more quickly.

The ImageZone solution requires no software download at the recipient’s site and offers an intuitive interface with a full range of communications options for image viewing and collaboration. ImageZone joins IHIE’s suite of interoperable, standards-based solutions which includes the Indiana Network for Patient Care®, DOCS4DOCS® and the QualityHealthFirst® Program.

About the Indiana Health Information Exchange
Indiana Health Information Exchange, Inc. (IHIE) is the nation's largest health information exchange organization. IHIE is responsible for securely delivering clinical information to assist with care coordination and improving patient outcomes to more than 80 hospitals and 19,000 physicians across the state of Indiana. Healthcare providers trust IHIE to deliver critical patient data when and where it is needed most. In addition to hospitals, IHIE also serves long-term care facilities, immediate care centers, public health centers and freestanding labs and imaging centers. IHIE is a non-profit corporation formed by the Regenstrief Institute, private hospitals, local and state health departments, BioCrossroads and other prominent organizations in Indiana. To learn more, visit www.ihie.org or call (317) 644-1750 for more information.

About SeeMyRadiology.com

SeeMyRadiology.com, an Accelarad venture, is an online community for medical image exchange that is revolutionizing how imaging facilities, physicians, and patients store, share and access medical images and reports. Via a cloud computing platform, SeeMyRadiology.com allows for easy collaboration and communication among health care providers and patients, dramatically improving access, costs, speed, and mobility of medical image exchange throughout the continuum of care. By fully complying with HIPAA privacy and security rules, SeeMyRadiology.com safeguards total patient confidentiality.

About Accelarad

Accelarad, an Atlanta-based company, is a market leader in medical image cloud computing. With the launch of SeeMyRadiology.com - its new online medical exchange community - Accelarad will continue to lead the industry, working with more than 900 facilities and 4,000 physicians, and processing more than 300 million medical images annually, serving as a new model for the delivery of radiology services through its virtual radiology network (VRN). Please visit  http://www.accelarad.com or http://www.seemyradiology.com or call 1.888.883.4544 for more information.

How does a state that’s been consistently ranked near the bottom of every “healthiest places” list, with high prevalence of obesity, smoking, diabetes and heart disease, find itself a leader in something as new and challenging as health information exchange?

To find out how, read the recent report from MedCity Health IT, click here