Milwaukee Health Care Partnership and Wisconsin Health Information Exchange Extend Contract with MyHealthDIRECT as Award-Winning Collaboration Continues to Support Better Health Care for Uninsured and Underserved Individuals

BROOKFIELD, Wis., July 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- MyHealthDIRECT, along with Milwaukee Health Care Partnership (Partnership) and Wisconsin Health Information Exchange (WHIE) announced today the two-year extension of MyHealthDIRECT's contract in support of the Partnership's Emergency Department Care Coordination Initiative. MyHealthDIRECT, a web-enabled scheduling solution, organizes open and available health care appointments throughout a provider network into a searchable and schedulable inventory of healthcare services.

MyHealthDIRECT plays an integral role in the Partnership's Emergency Department Care Coordination Initiative, which seeks to reduce avoidable emergency department visits and related hospitalizations, eliminate duplicate tests and procedures, and connect high-risk patients in the emergency room with medical homes.

Using MyHealthDIRECT in the past year, more than 8,700 appointments were scheduled between Partnership hospitals (Aurora Health Care, Columbia St Mary's, Froedtert Health and Wheaton Franciscan Health Care) to the community's clinical providers.  Of these, more than 6,300 scheduled provider appointments were made to Federally Qualified Health Centers.  

The Partnership's successful efforts at improving community health, including its use of MyHealthDIRECT to schedule appointments directly from the emergency department, earned a 2011 NOVA Award from the American Hospital Association.

Along with an expansion into Wheaton Franciscan Health Care hospitals, MyHealthDIRECT has introduced a series of enhancements to its solution, including improved reporting capabilities, and the ability to text appointment reminders to patients and attach informational materials to a scheduled appointment.

"It is rewarding to be a part of this community Partnership that advocates access to care. We look forward to continuing to make further strides in the Emergency Department Care Coordination Initiative over the next two years and create a healthier future for Milwaukee residents," said Jay Mason, CEO of MyHealthDIRECT.

"MyHealthDIRECT is an integral partner in our efforts to reduce avoidable emergency department visits and connect high-risk patients with medical homes," said Joy Tapper, Executive Director of Milwaukee Health Care Partnership. "With MyHealthDIRECT, all Milwaukee emergency departments now schedule appointments with safety net clinics in real time."

Since its founding in 2007, Milwaukee Health Care Partnership's goal has been to secure adequate and affordable insurance coverage for low-income individuals; improve access to all health services; provide affordable medications; enhance care coordination between emergency departments and primary care medical homes; in order to improve health outcomes while reducing the cost of care.

Wisconsin Health Information Exchange (WHIE) is a tool supporting enhanced clinical decision making by providing appropriately private and secure patient encounter history at the time and point of care, creating a platform for community wide coordination of care.  Collaborating with key stakeholders, such as the Partnership, information is exchanged electronically across institutional boundaries and ensures the secure delivery of timely and accurate electronic health information.

"As we continue to address the challenges of efficient patient care delivery through technology, and improving workflow for clinical staff, we are excited about the continued and growing collaboration with MyHealthDIRECT.  Collaborations such as that with the Partnership and MyHealthDIRECT continue to improve efficiency and coordination of care, with the ultimate benefit to the patients of the community that need primary care services," said Kim R. Pemble, Executive Director of WHIE.

Across the country, MyHealthDIRECT's web-based solution helps healthcare organizations improve access to care, facilitate care management and improve quality measures. The application is easy to implement and use, enabling organizations to quickly put MyHealthDIRECT to work within any practice environment to find open and available healthcare appointments in the community to meet patients' needs.

About MyHealthDIRECT

MyHealthDIRECT is a national health services company that connects hospitals, care management organizations, public agencies and community collaboratives for the purpose of scheduling timely and appropriate health care appointments on behalf of individuals. Founded in 2005, MyHealthDIRECT offers a web-based solution that organizes open and available health care appointments in the community into a searchable and schedulable inventory of healthcare services. The MyHealthDIRECT solution promotes continuity of care, reduces unnecessary cost and utilization and ensures that patients are scheduled with appointments that best fit their needs and preferences. For more information on MyHealthDIRECT please visit www.myhealthdirect.com.

About Milwaukee Health Care Partnership

The Milwaukee Health Care Partnership is a public private consortium dedicated to improving care for under-served populations in Milwaukee County. The consortium includes healthcare providers, government agencies and community organizations that are dedicated to improving care for low income individuals. Members include: Aurora Health Care, Children's Hospital and Health System, Columbia St. Mary's, Froedtert Health, Health Care for the Homeless Milwaukee, the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services, Milwaukee Health Services, Sixteenth Street Community Health Center, Westside Health Care Association, Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare & the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Other collaborating partners include: City of Milwaukee Health Department, Milwaukee Free Clinic Collaborative, Medical Society of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Hospital Association and Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association. The Partnership works to increase coverage, access and care coordination and improve health care outcomes, health status and the cost effectiveness of care for the most vulnerable patients in the community.

About Wisconsin Health Information Exchange

The Wisconsin Health Information Exchange (WHIE) is one of the nation's leading efforts to improve health and health care through regional electronic information exchange. By collaborating across institutional boundaries and ensuring secure delivery of timely and accurate electronic health information, WHIE seeks to improve the quality, safety, efficiency, and accessibility of health care and public health. WHIE is sponsored by the National Institute for Medical Informatics (NIMI), a nonprofit organization dedicated to research, development, implementation and operation of advanced healthcare information networking solutions. For more information, visit http://www.whie.org.

SOURCE MyHealthDIRECT