As we highlighted earlier this year, there has been a shift in HIEs moving more towards being Health Data Utilities (HDU).

Citivas Networks for Health is driving much of this trend. The organization defines HDUs as being “statewide entities that combine, enhance, and exchange electronic health data across care and services settings for treatment, care coordination, quality improvement, and public and community health purposes.”

In late 2021, we published a RosettaHealth podcast interview with Lisa Bari, CEO of Civitas Networks for Health, who discussed the move towards a public health utility model of health data exchange.

“We anticipate a future where there’s some type of health data utility in every region, jurisdiction or state,” said Bari in the podcast interview. “This is where many different stakeholders are able to benefit from the baseline infrastructure.”

A recent Health Data Management points to how HIEs and HDUs have produced major returns on investment for facilitating the exchange of patient information, making the case for expansion of initiatives in all states.

One benefit was highlighted in a study conducted by the American Medical Informatics Association, which found that hospitals participating in an HIE significantly reduced 30-day readmission rates, compared with those that don’t participate. Better access to patient information across different healthcare organizations enabled more informed decision-making for better care coordination.

According to the article, many have effective programs that have demonstrated cost-savings benefits linked to their information exchange and data sharing initiatives. One study found that the use of health data exchange capabilities was associated with a decrease in resource use and an increase in Medicare-allowable reimbursements.

In addition, the Indiana Health Information Exchange (IHIE) has been credited with reducing hospital admissions by 26 percent over a five-year period while also lowering overall healthcare costs.

The emerging HDU model is playing a foundational role in these successes.  However, as the Health Data Management article highlighted, there are still barriers for adoption. These include a lack of financial incentives, privacy concerns, and varying state-level regulations.

The key is fostering a culture of collaboration among stakeholders that will realize the full potential benefits offered by HIEs and HDUs.

   RosettaHealth can assist with any health information challenges you might have, book a free consultation with one of our interoperability experts.