Why HIE for the region?

The standards of the region’s 9-1-1 system require that emergencies are brought to the nearest emergency room, not the patient’s preferred hospital.

Within the largest IDN’s (independent delivery networks), sample data demonstrates that for a high proportion of patients, primary care physicians (PCPs) routinely refer patients for admission to hospitals outside of their IDN relationship.  Conversely, patients discharged from the hospital often return back to a PCP office that is unaffiliated.

The Health Care Improvement Foundation (HCIF) initiated the PAVE Collaborative Project in the spring of 2010. In this initiative, more than 45 organizations, including hospitals, home care providers, payers, and community agencies joined to improve care transitions and reduce hospital readmissions.  The project has promoted the spread of innovative tools, training, and resources for healthcare professionals, patients, and family caregivers.   However, project outcomes revealed that crucial gaps remain in coordinating care following hospital discharge, and during other transitions between care settings.  Motivated by the PAVE Project findings, HCIF and the Delaware Valley Healthcare Council (DVHC) took a leadership role in the Southeastern Pennsylvania initiative for forming a health information organization.

At time of discharge from an inpatient stay or ER visit, the hand-off to the next provider is not well-coordinated.   Whether part of an IDN or not, in many cases, the discharging facility does not know the name of the patient’s primary care physician or how to contact this provider.  Even if information is transmitted, it is usually incomplete and sent by handwritten hard copy or fax instead of electronically.