Michigan Health Information Network's Patient Matching Strategy Improves Electronic Information Sharing

MARINA DEL REY, Calif., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- 4medica announced today that its master patient index (MPI) technology is being used by the Michigan Health Information Network Shared Services (MiHIN) to make sure incoming patient data is accurately and swiftly matched to the right patient record. In turn, this helps assure the correct healthcare providers are receiving information about their patients that is exchanged through the statewide network.

MiHIN uses the 4medica Big Data MPI along with a private patient attribute or "common key" that links individuals and their health information across systems and organizations. The combined solution enables MiHIN to match patient identities in real time.

This is crucial, as MiHIN coordinates and bridges communication between providers throughout the state, a volume of transactions that numbers in the tens of millions.

"Because Michigan's healthcare organizations look to us to provide statewide shared services, we tested a number of MPI solutions very rigorously, including the 4medica Big Data MPI," said Shelley Mannino-Marosi, MiHIN's senior director of state and national programs. "We had a very positive experience with 4medica integrating with our Common Key Service to match patients, so their care team members can receive their information, in milliseconds, and at scales that support our large transaction volumes."

The 4medica MPI also proved very flexible to address MiHIN's strict guidelines and rules for matching patient records with information.

"The 4medica Big Data MPI, together with our Common Key Service, give us a very solid foundation for our patient matching services," added Mannino-Marosi.

An innovative approach to match patient information across multiple organizations

In the absence of a national patient ID, patient mismatching has become a systemic problem in an era of electronic health records that store millions of patient records, using different data attributes and identifiers, setting the stage for a mismatch when organizations exchange records with each other. Or, confronted with multiple records for the same patient, administrators create a new master record, often omitting critical information.

A recent Black Book Research Survey found that 18 percent of the average hospital's patient records are duplicates--while testing by 4medica at different healthcare organizations, including health information organizations, has routinely uncovered duplicates as high as 30 percent.

Both mismatches and duplicate records increase the risk of dangerous medical errors, which is one reason why this year's ONC Interoperability Forum included no less than 10 speaking sessions on the topic of patient identity matching. MiHIN was one of the invited speakers, and presented its solution to many of the nation's top health leaders.

Along with the 4medica Big Data MPI, this solution includes the MiHIN-developed encrypted common key. Designed for system to system communication only, and with no coded patient specifics, the key offers a unique attribute that can be easily shared by multiple organizations.  

"Together with the 4medica Big Data MPI, MiHIN has deployed a solution that can be replicated at health information exchanges and health information networks across the country. And none too soon, given initiatives like PDMPs to combat the opioid epidemic, or the national Patent Centered Data Home," noted Gregg Church, president, 4medica.

MiHIN will be presenting its solution again at the upcoming 2018 Annual SHIEC Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, which runs August 19—22. MiHIN, along with other health information organizations, including 4medica customer New Jersey Innovation Institute, will be featured in a panel discussion on patient matching, "Overcoming Patient Matching Challenges in Today's Healthcare Environment" on Monday, Aug. 20^th, from 2:40 to 3:30. 

Members of the media interested in learning more are invited to contact Stephanie Janard, Amendola Communications for 4medica, at 828-288-2831 or [email protected].

About Michigan Health Information Network Shared Services

The Michigan Health Information Network Shared Services (MIHIN) is Michigan's state-designated entity to improve healthcare quality, efficiency, and patient safety by sharing of electronic health information statewide, helping reduce costs for patients, providers, and payers. MiHIN is a nonprofit, public-private collaboration that includes stakeholders from the State of Michigan, Health Information Exchanges that serve Michigan, health systems and providers, health plans/payers, pharmacies, and the Governor's Health Information Technology Commission. For more information please visit https://mihin.org.

About 4medica

4medica provides the industry's leading SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) Big Data MPI and clinical data exchange platform to help healthcare organizations of diverse types create a seamless view of the patient care experience and further drive better health outcomes. The 4medica Big Data MPI and ClinXdata Clinical Data Exchange platform integrate with and build upon disparate systems to facilitate patient identity management and interoperable data exchange across various care settings to promote care continuity. The cloud computing model is scalable, lower cost, maintenance-free, easy to use and deployable in a few months or less, eliminating large capital outlays or resource utilization. 4medica connects hundreds of organizations including ACOS, HIEs, hospitals, health systems, physicians, laboratories, and radiology imaging centers. Learn more at www.4medica.com and www.bigdatampi.com.

Media Contact:
Stephanie Janard
Amendola Communications for 4medica
1.828.288.2831
[email protected]

SOURCE 4medica

Related Links

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