Quicker diagnoses. More accurate evaluations. Fewer medical errors.
All are expected benefits of new federal stimulus money that is designed to jump-start Ohio's move to digitized medical records.
The $43.3-million grant to the Ohio Health Information Partnership (OHIP) last month, along with an additional $8 million budgeted over the next two years from the Ohio Department of Insurance, will focus on making patient information truly portable, linking health facilities and individual doctors throughout the state.
"To the patient the transition will be seamless, but in an emergency situation, if they're seeking medical attention at a hospital or from a physician they haven't visited before, it could potentially be life-saving," according to OHIP spokesperson Carly Glick.
Because doctors will have immediate access to complete information, they will be able to provide more efficient, more error-free care. Financially, the health information exchange can also cut costs by eliminating redundant tests and slashing administrative costs, Glick adds.
According to OHIP officials, more than a third of the funds will go toward development of a statewide health information exchange (HIE) to allow for the sharing of electronic health records between authorized healthcare facilities and health care providers. The remaining $28.5 million is earmarked to help create regional centers that will support hospitals to adapt to the HIE. It will also help individual doctor's offices � particularly in rural areas � convert to electronic medical record keeping.
OHIP is a not-for-profit partnership that includes state government, BioOhio, the Ohio Hospital Association, the Ohio State Medical Association, other medical groups and business and consumer groups.
Source: Carly Glick, Ohio Health Information Partnership
Writer: Dave Malaska