CareSpark and MobileMD to Demonstrate Direct Project Interoperability at HIMSS 2011

KINGSPORT, Tenn. and WARMINSTER, Pa., Feb. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- CareSpark, a non-profit regional health information exchange, and MobileMD, Inc., a leading health information exchange service provider, announced today plans to demonstrate Direct Project interoperability at the upcoming 2011 Annual Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Conference & Exhibition, Feb. 21-24, at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla.

The demonstration will be an actual implementation of the recently developed Direct Project technical constructs that enable a simple, secure, scalable, standards-based way for providers to send encrypted health information directly to known, trusted recipients over the Internet. CareSpark will demonstrate connectivity between CareSpark's connected providers and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

"Our service area includes a large veteran population," stated Pat Pope, CareSpark's Provider Coordinator. "It has always been a component of CareSpark's mission to bridge the transitions that occur between VA and private sector providers. Participating in this demonstration is important to CareSpark not only as a proof of concept but also as a stepping stone to real production deployment," she said.

The demonstration will showcase mammography referrals, and the exchange of orders and results that cross between the public and private sectors of healthcare, with the flow occurring between the VA and providers connected to CareSpark. This exchange streamlines operations, reduces manual handoffs, and can be integrated into a tighter framework of shared patient records. Mountain States Health Alliance is the planned first CareSpark participant to utilize this Direct exchange of real patient data with VA's James H. Quillen Medical Center in Mountain Home, Tenn.

"This demonstration shows how we can put together technical elements that can truly simplify the way healthcare is delivered," commented Chris Voigt, Vice President of Corporate Development at MobileMD, the vendor supplying CareSpark's Secure Messaging network solution. "Direct not only replaces phone calls, fax machines and point-to-point interfaces between providers, but is also a means to better coordinate care, offer robust clinical dialog, and more efficiently transfer patients. CareSpark and VA are innovating with this new form of exchange, one which actively moves patient data to support clinical workflow."

The demonstration is available for viewing within the HIMSS Interoperability Showcase in booth 7343.

About CareSpark

CareSpark is a non-profit regional health information exchange working to improve health in a 17 county area of east Tennessee and southwest Virginia through the collaborative use of health information.

It has a secure network that enables exchange of information for the purpose of patient care and treatment among physicians, hospitals, pharmacies, laboratories, imaging centers, public health departments and other facilities serving approximately 750,000 patients in the region. Supported by a consortium of technology partners, and engagement from leaders at local, state and federal levels, CareSpark's infrastructure was designed with careful attention to standards and best practices for clinical care, protection of privacy and confidentiality, and system security.

More information about CareSpark can be found at: http://www.carespark.com

About MobileMD

MobileMD offers the HIT industry's only 4D HIE™, focusing on all aspects of progressive healthcare delivery: 100% service, technology benefit, economic benefit, and, most importantly, care benefit. MobileMD utilizes a secure, scalable and flexible infrastructure to provide technologies and applications designed to integrate patient health information with disparate HIT systems as well as application software designed to provide access, communications, and interoperability capabilities, bringing the healthcare community together in support of enhanced patient care. MobileMD currently provides the HIE to more than 10,000 subscribers, 800 physician practices, and 70 hospitals nationwide.

For more information about MobileMD visit http://www.MobileMD.com.  For the latest thoughts regarding HIE approaches, issues, and strategies visit our blog http://blog.HIEWorks.com.

SOURCE MobileMD, Inc.