Kansas Health Information Network (KHIN) has expanded its horizons, as well as connections, to the South.
Kansas Health Information Network (KHIN), one of the largest Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) in the country announced that it is now connected to Health Information Exchange Texas (HIETexas) (@HIETexas), a “network of networks,” made available by the Texas Health Services Authority (THSA). THSA connects local HIEs within Texas to each other and with networks across the nation through the eHealth Exchange.
“KHIN is pleased to connect to HIETexas through the eHealth Exchange which is a secure, nationwide connectivity network,” said Laura McCrary, Ed.D and Executive Director of KHIN. “Many Kansas patients receive care in Texas. This connection helps to ensure that Texas physicians have all of the patients’ health records from Kansas and vice versa.”
There are several hospitals and clinics in Texas that are now connected to KHIN. This not only benefits patients who have or will receive care in both Texas and Kansas, it also helps Kansas and Texas providers meet the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requirements for Meaningful Use.
“The connection between HIETexas and KHIN will enhance medical care by connecting hundreds of hospitals and thousands of doctors across state lines,” said George Gooch, Chief Executive Officer of THSA. “Many Kansas residents travel to Texas for advanced medical treatments at one of the state’s world-class medical facilities and this connection will allow those patients’ healthcare providers to have immediate access to information they need to make better informed decisions.”
“This critical health information improves patient safety and reduces duplicative tests as Texas physicians know what healthcare a patient has already received in Kansas,” said McCrary. “We are looking forward to completing our next eHealth Exchange connection with the Veteran’s Administration.”
About Kansas Health Information Network (KHIN)
KHIN‘s mission is to improve health care quality, coordination and efficiency through the exchange of health information at the point of care utilizing a secure electronic network provided by a collaboration of health care organizations. KHIN is a provider led 501(c)3. It draws users from a broad geographical area and aligns with state data sources to support cost effective delivery of services. It supports and integrates with community and medical trading area efforts to drive care coordination and workflow changes creating a climate to encourage innovation. Its goals are to ensure providers, patients and communities have long-term access to cost effective, sustainable health information exchange aligned with costs distributed across a broad user base. It also encourages and removes barriers so communities and regions can focus on quality improvement, patient centered medical home and entrepreneurial strategies that effect local health outcomes.
About Texas Health Services Authority (THSA)
The Texas Health Services Authority is responsible for coordinating the implementation of health information exchange (HIE) in Texas. The THSA was created by the Texas legislature in 2007 as a public-private partnership, legally structured as a non-profit corporation, to support the improvement of the Texas health care system by promoting and coordinating HIE and health information technology throughout the state to ensure that the right information is available to the right health care providers at the right times.