West Virginia hospitals go live with HIE
Some 23 percent of state hospitals now connected
Five hospitals across West Virginia have recently signed on with the state's health information network, bringing the total number of hospitals connected to nine.
The five newest to go live with the HIE include: 189-bed Monongalia General Hospital; 25-bed Preston Memorial Hospital; 260-bed Thomas Memorial Hospital; 76-bed Grafton City Hospital and the 393-bed St. Mary’s Medical Center.
[See also: Vendors missing boat on HIE needs.]
Other West Virginia hospitals that have previously signed on with the network are 276-bed Wheeling Hospital and WVU Healthcare – which includes 380-bed Ruby Memorial, Berkeley Medical Center and 25-bed Jefferson Medical Center – and some 100 affiliated clinics and physician practices, all which joined the HIE last year.
WVHIN’s HIE enables participating hospitals to electronically share patient health information with each other in a secure manner for treatment and public health reporting purposes. Providers benefit from receiving the latest patient health information in real time, at the point of care, in an organized view, say HIE officials, who point out that some of the many patient benefits include reduction in duplicate tests, improved quality of care due to doctors having a patient’s most up-to-date medical information and access to critical life-saving information during emergencies.
[See also: Texas moves forward with HIE plans.]
Docs connected to the HIE can also send required information to the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health for public health reporting purposes and access advance directives online through the WV e-Directive Registry, officials say.
"We are very excited to have these new hospitals join our network," said Phil Weikle, chief operations officer of WVHIN, in a news release. "The WVHIN now has partners in many areas of the state. In an effort to provide the best healthcare to patients across the state, participation of healthcare organizations in the HIE is crucial so we continue moving forward in connecting providers in all corners of West Virginia."
WVHIN tapped Truven Health Analytics for the technology platform back in 2011.
