To help physician practices navigate health information exchange, HIMSS and the Medical Group Management Association and its standards-setting body, the American College of Medical Practice Executives, have introduced the Ambulatory Health Information Exchange Toolkit for physician practices.

In delivering the proposed rule for meaningful use Stage 2 this past week, ONC chief Farzad Mostashari said Stage 2 emphasizes interoperability and health information exchange.

“Physician practices are increasingly employing health information technology to more effectively and efficiently deliver care to their patients,” said Susan Turney, MD, president and CEO of MGMA. "For these ambulatory practices, one important tool in an expanding health IT arsenal is the HIE. Practices can now use this toolkit to leverage the opportunities offered by HIEs to add to the critical health information stream flowing securely from one clinical setting to another.”

The toolkit offers clinical practices the resources they need to make smart HIE decisions in a number of critical areas, including:

• the HIE value proposition;
• meaningful use and HIE;
• business and financial models;
• leadership and governance;
• technical architecture; and
• evaluating participation.

“With the evolution of the patient care environment, this web-based toolkit is specifically designed to capture the latest developments in HIEs and highlight any new and practical resources beneficial to physicians and their practices,” said H. Stephen Lieber, president and CEO, HIMSS. “As a cause-based organization focused on improving healthcare delivery with the best use of IT, HIMSS recognizes the value of and need for health information exchanges in healthcare.”