Last fall, Gov. Strickland charged the Ohio Health Information Partnership (OHIP) with the implementation and support of health information exchange in Ohio. OHIP’s board includes representation from OHA, BioOhio, the Ohio State Medical Association, the Ohio Osteopathic Association, the Ohio Department of Insurance, health care payers, the business community, behavioral health providers, community health centers and consumers. OHIP is focusing on a two-prong approach: 1) the development of a statewide health information exchange (HIE) to connect all providers; and 2) the creation of a regional extension center to provide educational and technical support to regional partners.

Statewide HIE
One of OHIP’s primary goals is the creation of a secure, statewide HIE that would allow individual providers to exchange information as well as link regional information networks to each other and to national networks. Such a system would give all authorized health care providers access to comprehensive patient health information, allowing them to better care for their patients. For example, it could consolidate records for a patient who visits different doctors for different needs, or give a primary physician access to test results from a patient’s last trip to the emergency room. Such a system also would reduce redundant tests and adverse drug interactions, which lowers health care costs.

An effective statewide HIE is beneficial to all providers, but it is a crucial element for rural hospitals and small practices weighing the benefits of implementing EHRs with the required time and financial investment. For these providers, the ability to improve the quality, safety and efficiency of patient care by seamlessly exchanging health information not just internally but with other providers is key. An active HIE is a major motivator for hospitals to adopt EHRs, and it greatly increases the value of EHRs for facilities and providers that already have them in place.

This statewide HIE will be funded by $15 million in new federal funding (and $2 million in non-GRF matching state funds), and it will plug into existing regional HIEs. OHIP will issue a Request for Proposals to identify a full-service HIE for the project in August.

Regional Extension Center (REC)
OHIP’s second major thrust is the development of a statewide regional extension center (REC) that will support both urban and rural hospitals, physicians, and other providers in their adoption and implementation of EHR systems. Supported by $28 million in federal funding (and $5 million in non-GRF matching state funds), the REC will coordinate statewide EHR support through regional partnerships with seven existing entities. These regional partners will provide educational or technical EHR support and have
committed to meeting goals established by OHIP.

Each partner is charged with accomplishing required outcomes, such as increasing the number of priority primary care
providers that are actively using EHRs. The providers in their region will be asked meet set milestones as well as meet US. Department of Health & Human Services meaningful use criteria. To ensure consistent quality across all areas of the state, OHIP will establish the core requirements and materials for the regional partners, but it will not specify how partners must achieve their objectives. This focus on milestones and not process will account for the cultural, market and political differences within health care delivery in each region in the state. It recognizes that the way in which these services are delivered in the Cleveland metropolitan area might be different from the way in which those services are delivered in an Appalachian region.

Many of the resources needed to achieve widespread adoption of EHRs and meaningful use by health care providers in Ohio already exist. OHIP’s efforts to coordinate these resources in a way that supports the broader health care community will help technology have a stronger positive impact on quality of care and costs for all Ohio patients, and to make that impact happen quickly.