What is a health information exchange (HIE)? | Michigan Health | GFHIE

April 5, 2012 - PRLog -- What is a health information exchange (HIE)? | Michigan Health | GFHIE.

A Health information exchange (HIE) is the transmission of healthcare data among facilities, health information organizations (HIO) and government agencies according to national standards. HIE is a component of the health information technology infrastructure under development in the United States and the associated National Health Information Network (NHIN).
To meet requirements, an HIE must enable reliable and secure transfer of data among diverse systems and also facilitate access and retrieval data. The purpose of HIE development is to improve healthcare delivery and information gathering.

How do I know that my information is kept private and secure?

State-of-the-art systems are used to secure records to the greatest degree possible and prevent access by unauthorized persons. All systems must comply with the security rules of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). HIPAA is the minimum requirement, though state laws and regulations are often more strict.

Can anyone see my personal health information on the Internet?

Absolutely not. Your medical information is kept private and secure and is only viewable by authorized healthcare providers.

What types of information might be shared in an HIE?

An HIE may share clinical information such as test results, current medications, allergies, and other clinical information. Demographic information is used to identify the individual, such as name, telephone number, birth date, and address, are also be shared.

What does this mean to me?

Participating in an HIE essentially means that you are consenting to share your health information with your health care providers— this offers major benefits to you and your family. Please visit http://gfhie.com/What-is-HIE.html for additional information.

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Our mission at the Greater Flint Health Information Exchange is to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery while increasing overall participant experience through the use of patient-centric medical information systems.