News Releases

HEALTHeLINK named Phase 1 winner in Health Resources & Services Administration Challenge
October 2022 – HEALTHeLINK, the health information exchange for Western New York, announced today it is a Phase 1 winner of the Building Bridges to Better Health: A Primary Health Care Challenge sponsored by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA). The goal of this multi-phase challenge is to enhance access and care coordination to achieve better health and reduce disparities utilizing technical assistance solutions.

Study shows better patient outcomes in CPC+ practices utilizing population health management tools
October 2022 – HEALTHeLINK, the health information exchange (HIE) for Western New York, with support from the Milbank Memorial Fund, conducted a study to examine if population health analytics helped to improve care quality and efficiency in primary care practices enrolled in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) program.

HEALTHeLINK announces new additions to board of directors
September 2022 – HEALTHeLINK, the health information exchange (HIE) for Western New York, today announced the addition of three new directors to its board. Allison Brashear, MD, MBA, vice president of health sciences and dean, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo; Michael Mineo, MD, FACEP, MMM, executive vice president and chief medical officer, Kaleida Health; and Pastor George F. Nicholas, chair, Buffalo Center for Health Equity, were each elected to three-year terms.

HEALTHeLINK and Population Health Collaborative announce affiliation
June 2022 – HEALTHeLINK, the health information exchange (HIE) for Western New York, announced an affiliation agreement with Population Health Collaborative (PHC) to drive higher quality care, control costs, and improve the health and wellness of the people in Western New York. Improving health equity and health outcomes in communities with the worst health outcomes, both in rural and minority populations, will be an essential focus through this partnership.

HEALTHeLINK releases 2021 Report to the Community
January 2022 – HEALTHeLINK, the health information exchange (HIE) for Western New York, was formed in collaboration with the local health care community to support hospitals, physicians, health plans, public health organizations and others in improving the efficiency and quality of care. As highlighted in the HEALTHeLINK 2021 Report to the Community, that spirit of partnership continues with a focus on improving the HIE foundation and enhancing the services offered to its participants.

HEALTHeLINK awarded federal funding from Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) to expand immunization information sharing
March 2021 – HEALTHeLINK announced today it is the recipient of federal funding from the Strengthening the Technical Advancement and Readiness of Public Health via Health Information Exchange (The STAR HIE Program): Improving COVID-19 Vaccination Data: Connecting Immunization Information Systems (IIS) to Health Information Exchanges from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC).

HEALTHeLINK releases 2020 Report to the Community
February 2021 – HEALTHeLINK, the health information exchange (HIE) for Western New York, continues to play a vital role in the delivery and quality of patient care.

HEALTHeLINK Achieves NCQA Data Aggregator Validation Status
November 2020 – HEALTHeLINK announced today it is among the first health information exchanges (HIEs) in the country to participate in the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Data Aggregator Validation program.

HEALTHeLINK Named CPC+ Data Aggregator by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
October 2020 – HEALTHeLINK has been named the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) data aggregator for the Greater Buffalo Region by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Geoff Allen Joins HEALTHeLINK As Data Quality Manager
May 2020 – HELTHeLINK today announced the hire of Geoff Allen as data quality manager.

HEALTHeLINK Announces 2020-2021 Board of Directors
May 2020 – HEALTHeLINK recently appointed its 2020-2021 board of directors including Anthony Billittier, MD, FACEP, executive vice president & chief medical officer at Independent Health, as chair.

Statement from HEALTHeLINK Executive Director Daniel Porreca Regarding Updated COVID-19 Capabilities
March 2020 – “With the continued spread of COVID-19, HEALTHeLINK is supporting epidemiology and surveillance efforts and a number of other related efforts including enabling tracking and alert notifications to providers specific to coronavirus.

HEALTHeLINK COVID-19 Notice
March 2020 – With the continued spread of coronavirus, COVID-19, HEALTHeLINK services will continue to be available to the Western New York health care community.

HEALTHeLINK releases 2019 Report to the Community
March 2020 – As the health information exchange (HIE) for Western New York, HEALTHeLINK continues to connect health care organizations, allowing for the seamless exchange of clinical information to improve quality of care, enhance patient outcomes and mitigate health care costs.

Results from HEALTHeLINK study show decreases in patient readmissions and emergency visits through physician practice integration of health information exchange
February 2020 – A recent study conducted by HEALTHeLINK in cooperation with a researcher at University of Connecticut and Brookings Institution’s Center for Technology Innovation, demonstrates that provider offices effectively utilizing health information exchange (HIE) technology can help save their patients and the greater health care community both time and money.

HEALTHeLINK releases 2018 Report to the Community
February 2019 – As the health information exchange (HIE) for Western New York, HEALTHeLINK continues to serve physicians and health care organizations in the secure exchange of clinical information.

HEALTHeLINK presenting at 2018 National Health Information Exchange Conference
July 2018 – Members of HEALTHeLINK’s leadership team are presenting at the 2018 Strategic Health Information Exchange Collaborative (SHIEC) annual conference on Aug. 20 in Atlanta.

HEALTHeLINK releases 2017 Report to the Community
February 2018 – Health information exchange (HIE) continues to have a positive impact on the quality of patient care across the nation, in New York State through the Statewide Health Information Network for New York (SHIN-NY) and in Western New York as demonstrated in HEALTHeLINK’S recently released 2017 Report to the Community.

HEALTHeLINK survey finds strong support of sharing and utilization of clinical information exchange
November 2017 – Health care consumers in Western New York largely believe that the community’s health care system is performing at a high level, is generally safe, and that access to electronic health records by physicians is good for health care.

Study quantifies benefits for Erie County Department of Health when using HEALTHeLINK for STI reporting and treatment
October 2017 – Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) and HEALTHeLINK, in cooperation with RTI International, quantified the benefits of using health information exchange for demographic, laboratory, and treatment information for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), specifically chlamydia and gonorrhea cases, in Erie County, New York.

HEALTHeLINK executive director elected chair of Strategic Health Information Exchange Collaborative (SHIEC) board
September 2017 – Daniel Porreca, executive director of HEALTHeLINK, was elected chair of the 2017-18 board of directors for the Strategic Health Information Exchange Collaborative (SHIEC).

HEALTHeLINK reaches one million patient consents
September 2017 – HEALTHeLINK, Western New York’s clinical information exchange, has reached one million uniquely consented patients.

HEALTHeLINK Announces 2017-2018 Board of Directors
April 2017 – David Scamurra, MD appointed chair for third consecutive term; Thomas E. Schenk, MD joins board as HealthNow representative

Physicians now have access to minor patient health data through clinical information exchange
January 2017 – As a result of a change in New York State policy, participating providers can now securely access data through Western New York’s clinical information exchange for minor patients 10 – 17 years of age.