New Group to Focus on Health Information Exchange in Stage 2

A couple weeks ago ONC Farzad Mostashari wrote a post saying this is the year for health information exchange (HIE).  In Health Information Exchange Turns a Corner he writes “The stage is set, and it is clear we can and must make rapid progress this year on health information exchange in anticipation of the proposed Stage 2 Meaningful Use requirements.”  He goes on to say “The time is now. Patients cannot wait. We need your help to get there by adopting national standards and business models that support information following patients across provider systems, vendor platforms, and geography.”

In January of 2010 HITECH Answers created MU Answers on LinkedIn. The purpose of the group is to provide news, updates and discussion on  meaningful use.  Today, our Meaningful Use Answers group has approximately 3,400 members and become a very active discussion forum. As Eligible Professionals, Eligible Hospitals and CAHs continue down the path of meeting Stage 1 meaningful use and the health IT world prepares for Stage 2 Meaningful Use, this group has never been more relevant. And while the Final Rule for Stage 2 won’t be released until late Summer, the proposed rules clearly reflect that health information exchange will be a reality in Stage 2 meaningful use. As Mostashari says, this is the year of health information exchange.

With that in mind, we felt a need for an offshoot group of MU Answers to focus on health information exchange in Stage 2 and beyond.We’ve now created a sister group to MU Answers also on LinkedIn –  HIE Answers – Health Information Exchange.  Like MU Answers, HIE Answers will be an open group with very targeted content.  Moderated daily, the group welcomes all physicians, hospital CIO’s, HIT consultants, vendors, practice administrators and others to join the group to share knowledge, questions and discussions on health information exchange.