HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Governor's Office of Health Care Reform has issued a draft strategic plan for the Pennsylvania Health Information Exchange, or PHIX, for a 30-day public comment period. The plan outlines how to best transition to an electronic system of health records to improve efficiency, cut costs, and provide better quality care.

"Health care providers across the nation lag far behind almost every other kind of business in using electronic data to better manage what they do," said GOHCR Director Ann S. Torregrossa. "The creation of a health information exchange will mark a huge step in transforming Pennsylvania's health care industry from one using paper records to one using electronic data which, ultimately, reduces the costs of health care."

PHIX will be the "superhighway" that securely connects health care practitioners, patients, hospitals, labs and diagnostic facilities, and pharmacies, giving health care providers a complete and reliable record of a patient's medical history.

The adoption of health information technology is a major component of Governor Edward G. Rendell's comprehensive health care reform plan, Prescription for Pennsylvania. Up to $17 million in federal stimulus funding is available to help pay for the necessary infrastructure. The proposed strategic plan outlines the state's strategy to increase health information sharing among health care providers, and support providers efforts to qualify for federal funds that will help them purchase and implement electronic medical record systems.

Implementing a health information exchange will allow health professionals across the state to see a patient's complete medical picture at the time and place of care, helping to improve the quality of care delivered. At the same time, it will lead to a decrease in unnecessary and costly tests.

"Having a statewide health information exchange brings us closer to realizing a 21st Century medical system," Torregrossa said. "PHIX also allows the focus to return to the patient and not on the paperwork."

Electronic medical records must be kept as private and secure as paper records. Patients will consent to having their information accessible through the exchange and only authorized users can view them. The system will be constantly monitored and audited to ensure proper use.

The plan was developed by GOHCR in consultation with the PHIX Advisory Council; the Pa eHealth Initiative, an outside advisory board comprised of health information experts; and other stakeholders. The plan outlines how the commonwealth will govern, finance and implement the initiative.

The draft plan can be viewed online at: www.gohcr.state.pa.us/assets/pdfs/PHIXstrategicplan_draft.pdf. Community members are encouraged to review the plan and submit comments on how it can be improved for a most efficient, high-quality health care system.

More information on PHIX can be found at www.pahealthinfoexchange.com.

Media contact: Andrew Akins, 717-265-7552

Editor's Note: Please see charts below that illustrate how PHIX can improve health care.

Consider the following scenario: It's Saturday night at midnight and you have been involved in a car accident and are critically injured. The ambulance has taken you to a hospital that has never treated you before. As the emergency department staff begins treatment, the doctor has a few important questions about your medical history. What medications are you taking? Do you have any allergies? In your current medical condition you are unable to provide the answers and your medical records are several miles away where you are normally treated.

The following chart illustrates the differences in how your ER visit is handled with and without electronic health information exchange that will be supported by PHIX.

  ER Visit without Electronic          ER Visit with Electronic Health
   Health Records and Health            Records and Health Information
      Information Exchange                         Exchange
  ---------------------------          -------------------------------
Physician knows nothing about     Physician is able to access electronic
 your health history, and                      health records, including
 tries to get it from your
 family members if any are            -- Medications that you are taking
 present.
                                     -- Chronic conditions for which you
                                                       are being treated

                                        -- Primary care practitioner and
                                                specialists treating you

                                    -- History of recent hospital visits

                                             -- Allergies and blood type

                                    -- Diagnostic tests and lab results.
-----------------------------      -------------------------------------
Physician orders full battery         Physician is able to view critical
 of diagnostic tests to                 information from your electronic
 determine patient's                    health record and determine what
 condition.                                tests, if any need to be run.
-----------------------------         ----------------------------------
Hours and many dollars are              Hours and many dollars are saved
 spent evaluating the                              evaluating situation.
 situation.
-----------------------------           --------------------------------
Potential for medication             Medications you take are known, can
 errors.                           avoid drugs that are contraindicated.
------------------------           -------------------------------------
You take home discharge              Report on treatment and care needed
 instructions; your primary             post-ER immediately available to
 care practice or specialist                primary care practice and/or
 may request paper record                      specialists treating you.
 which will arrive in days or
 weeks.
----------------------------         -----------------------------------

Widespread adoption of EMR/EHR technology and use of the PHIX will dramatically affect the way day-to-day business is conducted by primary care practitioners and specialists as well.

 Primary Care Visit Before PHIX          Primary Care Visit After PHIX
 ------------------------------          -----------------------------
Patient's record is thick                    Patient's record is totally
 file folder of paper.                                     computerized.
-------------------------                    ---------------------------
All information is hand-          All information is entered in computer
 written into chart and may                           in examining room.
 be illegible. (Patient
 provides new health history
 for nearly every medical
 appointment).
---------------------------       --------------------------------------
Practitioner asks about             Practitioner has immediate access to
 visits to specialists since                 summary info from visits to
 last visit - nothing in              specialists, ER and hospital since
 file. Information on ER                                     last visit.
 visits or hospitalizations
 may or may not be available
 to practitioner, lag time is
 common.
----------------------------        ------------------------------------
Practitioner orders lab               Practitioner enters lab orders and
 tests, writes out script,              electronically transmits to lab.
 gives to patient to take to
 lab.
---------------------------           ----------------------------------

 Primary Care Visit Before PHIX          Primary Care Visit After PHIX
 ------------------------------          -----------------------------
Practitioner tells patient to     Practitioner gives patient website and
 call back in several weeks          password into system so patient can
 for test results.                                    check lab results.
-----------------------------     --------------------------------------
Patient is the source of                       Practitioner can see what
 information re medications          medications have been prescribed by
 being used.                         others in electronic health record.
--------------------------           -----------------------------------
Practitioner writes out            Practitioner enters prescriptions and
 script for medications,           electronically transmits to pharmacy.
 gives to patient to take to
 pharmacy.
---------------------------        -------------------------------------
Practitioner must glean             Practitioner alerted when preventive
 critical information about          care is due, and when best practice
 key health issues from thick           requires intervention (test, lab
 health care paper records.                                 work, etc.).
----------------------------        ------------------------------------

SOURCE Governor's Office of Health Care Reform

Back to top

RELATED LINKS
http://www.pahealthinfoexchange.com/