What is a RHIO?
A Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO) is a group of organizations and stakeholders that has come together for the purpose of electronic data exchange and is focused on improving the quality, safety, and efficiency of healthcare delivery[1].
What is a HIE?
A Health Information Exchange (HIE) is a multi-stakeholder entity that enables the movement of health-related data within state, regional or non-jurisdictional participant groups. These parties have agreed upon use of common technology and applied standards to support the electronic movement of clinical information between disparate health information systems. [1]
What is WHIN?
Western Health Information Network (WHIN) is a not for profit community benefit corporation established in 2003, as a Health Information Organization (HIO) to fill the urgent need for Southern California providers to access critical patient health information at the point of care for the purposes of treatment.
What are the benefits of HIE?
HIE allows for improved quality of care through greater access to data across clinical care delivery locations and timely access to patient information at the point of care. Other benefits include:
- Improvement in patient safety
- Enhanced patient-physician dialogue and communication through greater access to clinical data
- Reduction in medical errors
- Reduced costs by preventing duplication of tests and relieving some administrative burdens
- Decreased risk of medication and treatment errors through increased accuracy of clinical information
- Support of chronic disease management and the timely detection of communicable disease outbreaks
What kind of clinical information is collected?
Western Health Information Network currently collects laboratory orders and results, demographic information, medication orders, chart scripts, and allergy information from participating hospitals and medical groups.
How is the clinical information used?
The clinical information available through WHIN will be used by clinical personnel to enhance patient visits by providing timely information about the health history of the patient while seeking care at one of the participating Emergency Departments.
How is the clinical information accessed?
Patient information is accessed through the WHIN Physician Portal, a secure web-based viewer within the emergency departments at each of the participating organizations.
Who has access to the clinical information?
Users include clinical personnel that have signed data participation agreements in order to access the WHIN Portal. These users are the same users who currently have access to a patient’s paper-based clinical information.
How will the clinical information be protected?
WHIN employs the MedPlus Centergy™ product which provides the most advanced information security available and is responsible for patient identification, record location and supplying clinical data to requestors. Patient information is safeguarded through a number of methods which only allow authorized users to view. An audit function also allows WHIN to track every user who accesses patient information.
Is WHIN HIPAA compliant?
WHIN is fully compliant with all HIPAA privacy and security rules that protect individuals’ medical records and personal health information.
What are WHIN and LBNH?
The name “Long Beach Network for Health” has served us well since October, 2003. It is, however, linking the HIE to a very specific community, and there are are concerns that governance will be primarily driven by Long Beach focused issues and leadership. Over the last several years, the Board of Directors has expanded to represent more regions and participants are organizations that provide services throughout Southern California.
Western Health Information Network (WHIN) is a name selected to retain the influence of the geographic region without specifying any single community. WHIN will allow our participating communities to define themselves locally, while leveraging the HIT&E expertise and infrastructure that has already been built through federal and private investment.