Real-time data sharing connects prediabetic and diabetic seniors with services that address social determinants of health
PHILADELPHIA, PENN. – July 29, 2024 – HealthShare Exchange (HSX), an industry leader in clinical data sharing, today announced a new project to address health equity and better support care management, quality improvement and population health for southeastern Pennsylvania seniors. The project was launched thanks to support from the Independence Blue Cross (IBX) Foundation Institute for Health Equity (Institute).
The project, NESSTS – Network for Enhancing Social Service Transitions for Seniors, creates a real-time data sharing and notification platform to identify people 65 and older with prediabetes or diabetes and health-related social needs. NESSTS will facilitate referrals to social services and social benefits programs. NESSTS builds on new capabilities created by PA Navigate, a statewide community information network designed to address health and social care needs for Pennsylvanians by connecting them to community services. PA Navigate is managed by HSX and three other state-certified Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) and is funded by the PA Department of Human Services.
Through this initiative, HSX aims to improve the health of seniors with these chronic conditions by providing them with timely and coordinated access to evidence-based services and benefits. Working in collaboration with the IBX Foundation Institute for Health Equity, HSX will convene a task force of Philadelphia-area health centers, benefits program managers and community-based service providers that support seniors and can identify gaps and solutions to streamline care coordination.
“While diabetes and prediabetes affect people of all ages, they are more prevalent in seniors. Social factors, such as food and housing insecurity or transportation access, contribute to higher disease burden and are more determinant of health outcomes than the clinical care these individuals receive,” said Greg Liptak, Vice President, Quality Improvement and Disease Management at HSX. “Our connections to healthcare stakeholders in the greater Philadelphia region and beyond uniquely position HSX to establish this program, collaborate with our local partners and help drive better health outcomes and health equity for the community that HSX serves. We’re grateful to the IBX Foundation Institute for Health Equity for their support of this initiative.”
“We are excited to work with HSX on this important initiative to enable solutions for greater health equity and improve health outcomes for seniors,” said Lorina Marshall-Blake, President of the IBX Foundation.
HSX’s goal is to create a new type of data sharing platform that can be expanded in scope and scale by engaging with additional healthcare and community-based service organizations. These additional resources can be used to identify underserved or high-risk populations with health-related social needs.
About HealthShare Exchange
HealthShare Exchange (HSX) is a nonprofit community-directed organization that gathers and makes electronic patient physical health and social determinate information available securely at the point of care throughout the Greater Philadelphia/Delaware Valley area’s healthcare ecosystem. HSX links disparate electronic medical record (EMR) systems of hospitals, health systems and healthcare stakeholders across the continuum of care along with the clinical data of healthcare insurers for Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.
HSX services deliver real-time clinical information to our members, including a patient’s medical history as well as notifications to enable improved outcomes, care coordination and more cost-effective care. HSX is a HITRUST-certified organization, a Pennsylvania P3N certified Health Information Organization (HIO), a State of New Jersey Trusted Data Sharing Organization (TDSO) and is part of the national eHealth Exchange. For more information, visit https://www.healthshareexchange.org/ or follow us on Twitter (@HealthShareExch) and LinkedIn.
About the Independence Blue Cross Foundation
The Independence Blue Cross Foundation is leading a future for equitable health in our communities and nation. The IBX Foundation and the Independence Blue Cross Foundation Institute for Health Equity are advancing three areas of impact: Access to Care, the Healthcare Workforce, and Health Equity.
Since its inception, the IBX Foundation has placed the community at the center of its work. By the end of 2024, the IBX Foundation will have awarded grants totaling more than $85 million to support nonprofits and research improving the health and well-being of communities in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Learn more by visiting our website: ibxfoundation.org. Connect with the Independence Blue Cross Foundation on LinkedIn.