Vantage HGT Selects Verizon to Provide Health Information Exchange Solution

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Dec. 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Vantage® HGT Regional Health Information Organization, a newly created health information exchange in western Pennsylvania, has selected the Verizon Health Information Exchange to enable health care professionals from member hospitals to facilitate the secure retrieval and sharing of patient clinical data.

Vantage HGT Regional Health Information Organization members will be able to request patient clinical data via a secure online portal.  By bridging the various health IT systems, applications and protocols currently in use by members of the Vantage HGT health information exchange, the new Verizon-provided platform will offer health care professionals an effective way to obtain a more complete view of a patient's health history.  This will enable better coordination of care, reduce the potential for medical errors, and help control costs by eliminating duplicative testing.  

The Verizon platform also enables members to retail their systems, processes and workflows, thereby reducing the need for additional capital expenditures.  

The Vantage HGT Regional Health Information Organization currently comprises six hospitals serving a population of nearly 2.3 million residents – Corry Memorial Hospital, The Ellwood City Hospital, Meadville Medical Center, Millcreek Community Hospital, Saint Vincent Health System and Titusville Area Hospital.  These facilities have a total of more than 750 patient beds and in 2009 had more than 147,000 patient days.

"The selection of Verizon Business as the technology provider for the Vantage HGT health information exchange marks a key milestone," said Jay Long, executive director, Vantage Health Group Telecommunications.  "We will now be able to move beyond the conceptual phase of creating the exchange and begin delivering the benefits of a truly connected health care delivery system in western Pennsylvania – one that will help our residents by providing better care coordination and controlling costs."

C. Angela Bontempo, president and chief executive officer, Saint Vincent Health System, said: "Saint Vincent has been a Vantage partner for many years, and our collective work with Verizon will help our exchange become among the first in the nation to have the ability to securely exchange health information online.  Verizon's breakthrough technology will enable us to immediately exchange medical information for all patients in a seamless and transparent manner across the care continuum."

Verizon Health Information Exchange Facilitates Secure Information Sharing

Launched in July, the Verizon Health Information Exchange is delivered via Verizon's cloud-computing platform and enables health care organizations of all sizes and types to overcome the long-standing obstacle of incompatible health IT platforms and software used to store data in various formats.  By providing a means of consolidating patient clinical data from disparate providers, the Verizon Health Information Exchange translates information into a standardized format for secure access over the Web.  The service uses strong identity-access-management controls to provide security for sensitive patient information.

"Verizon worked with Vantage HGT Regional Health Information Organization to provide an HIE platform that supports its unique model as a convener in building consensus on privacy, security and governance among participating member hospitals," said Lynne Dunbrack, program director, connected health IT strategies at IDC Health Insights. "Verizon Health Information Exchange will allow the member hospitals to keep their own identity, but permit the sharing of information between the hospitals to help provide better care for their patients."

Verizon Business and its technology and service providers – MEDfx, MedVirginia and Oracle – are currently working with the Vantage HGT Regional Health Information Organization to implement fully integrated features such as a clinical dashboard, record locator service, cross-enterprise patient index and secure clinical messaging platform.  The new health information exchange is expected to be operational in the spring of 2011.

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SOURCE Verizon Business