One of the primary goals of the healthcare IT field is to generate a comprehensive electronic health record for every patient. By coupling this information with a healthcare information exchange (HIE), a full picture of a patient's clinical history can be instantly accessed by participating facilities so that the most appropriate treatment possible can administered.
Though the ultimate goal of sharing clinical patient data electronically through a nationwide database has not yet been fulfilled, many states are combining existing institutions to afford participating healthcare providers with a wider scope of patient information.
For example, facility managers in Georgia have announced that the Medical College of Georgia Hospital and Clinics in Augusta will merge with Medical Center of Central Georgia in Macon into a new HIE called "Georgia Regional Academic Community Health Information Exchange."
In addition to providing physicians, nurses and auxiliary staff with an amalgamated pool of information, David Hefner of Georgia Health Sciences University told the Augusta Chronicle that the HIE would provide a governance board distinct from the participating hospitals' in order to promote other facilities joining as well.
Considering the benefits expressed by Georgia healthcare officials in the article, other facility managers across the country are likely considering how to qualify for a regional HIE to enjoy similar conveniences. One way to do so is by optimizing a practice's digital metrics through the deployment of a medical technology consulting company.
These professionals can implement all the technology a facility would need to promote quality information sharing – such as electronic medical records, electronic billing and eprescribing software – and train staff to be sure the products are being used to their maximum potential.
Microwize Technology is a leading healthcare IT consultant offering products such as electronic medical records software and medical billing software from top providers like Allscripts and McKesson, including McKesson's Medisoft, Lytec and Practice Choice products.