HEALTHeLINK, the clinical information exchange connecting hospitals, physicians, and payers in Western New York, has secured more than 1 million uniquely consented patients.
According to Dan Porreca, executive director of HEALTHeLINK, this achievement represents a significant community milestone for the eight counties the HIE serves, as it continues to improve quality of care, patient safety, while reducing healthcare costs by eliminating redundant tests.
“It is the doctors, practices and hospitals that capture the patient consents, so they can get access to the information,” says Porreca, noting that New York is an opt-in state for patients wanting to share their data with HIEs. But, he contends it is patients that “hold the key” to enabling their treating providers to have a “more complete picture of their medical record.”
Of HEALTHeLINK’s more than 1 million uniquely consented patients, about 95 percent of those who consent authorize their health information—including diagnostic images, lab reports, and medication history—to be securely shared among treating providers at the point of care.