The San Diego Regional Health Information Exchange (SDRHIE) with the new name “San Diego Health Connect” at www.sdhealthconnect.org has evolved from a federally funded HIE into an independent community-supported organization. In addition, agreements were signed with Scripps Health and Sharp HealthCare to participate in directing the exchange. With the two new additions to the HIE, the potential for the number of patients that the HIE can serve will go from 800,000 to more than 2.1 million.
Scripps Health and Sharp HealthCare are the latest major healthcare organizations to sign with San Diego Health Connect. They are joining other participants such as the Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center, UC San Diego Health System, Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego, VA San Diego Healthcare System, Family Health Centers of San Diego, and 14 community clinics coordinated through the Council of Community Clinics.
Healthcare providers participating in the HIE are able to access health information on patients. Providers are able via a web portal to electronically to poll other San Diego Health Connect providers and instantly receive information on previous test results, treatments, medications and allergy lists, hospital discharge summaries, and histories.
“Sharing information about a patient at the point-of-care with the patient’s consent helps physicians make decisions about testing and treatment, and this ultimately improves the quality of care,” said San Diego Health Connect Executive Director Daniel J. Chavez. “Our exchange uses nationally established protocols that adhere to the highest standards for privacy and data security.”
San Diego Health Connect the successor to the largest of the 17 Beacon Community projects received $15.2 million in three year grants from the HHS Office of the National Coordinator. Since federal funding ended September 30, the HIE has been operational with support from community healthcare organizations.