Immunization Reporting Across Michigan and Indiana Border

NOVI, Mich., Sept. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- 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
[email protected]

Michiana Health Information Network (MHIN) Contact:
Kellie Collier,
Marketing Coordinator, MHIN,
(574) 968-4328
[email protected]

SOURCE Michigan Health Information Network