Illinois’ Other Exchange
While efforts to begin construction on a new health benefits exchange have stalled, the development of another kind of state exchange is moving forward. The Illinois Office of Health Information Technology (IL OHIT) announced last month that it has officially selected a new vendor to begin building the state’s health information exchange (ILHIE) that will allow providers across the state to electronically share patient health data and medical records securely through a central portal. InterSystems Corporation has been tapped to serve as the state’s health information “technology partner” to begin construction of an interoperable system that allows for greater care coordination and better patient outcomes.
State efforts to encourage provider use of electronic health records is also proving fruitful, with the Illinois Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center (IL-HITREC) recently announcing it has attained its enrollment goal of 1,300 primary care providers committed to working to adopt Electronic Health Records (EHRs). IL-HITREC is one of 64 Regional Extension Centers in the nation to provide technical assistance to primary care providers to help achieve “meaningful use” of electronic health records. The ILHIE will also begin assisting healthcare professionals in reaching Stage 1 Meaningful Use with a new service called ILHIE Direct Secure Messaging beginning December 2011 through 2012. The service is provided at no cost to the provider and helps these providers securely transmit information to another provider outside of the network to quickly achieve the clinical exchange requirement that serves as a baseline function of the ILHIE. Providers also receive financial incentives under the Medicare and Medicaid programs to achieve Meaningful Use.
The ILHIE initiative has evolved dramatically over the past three years, starting with the release of $3 million in state funds in March 2009 to support planning efforts. In 2010, the state was awarded nearly $19 million in federal stimulus funds to begin implementation of a statewide HIE. In the meantime, the General Assembly and the Governor enacted HIE authorization legislation and the new HIE Board created by the authorizing legislation was formerly appointed in February of this year. The ILHIE Authority is now actively seeking an Executive Director to help manage the transition of the ILHIE from the IL OHIT to the Authority and oversee implementation and eventual operation of the ILHIE. The position is a three-year gubernatorial appointment that is subject to approval by the full Senate. For more information on the position, please click HERE.
ILHIE’s Impact on Employers
The impact of a new statewide HIE and the widespread use of EHRs may be more readily apparent to the patient and provider communities, but a healthcare delivery system that is digitalized bears tremendous benefits for all stakeholders, including employers. In an era where policymakers and the system itself strives to achieve better coordination, greater efficiency, higher quality, and stronger patient outcomes, technology plays a key role in achieving all of those goals, whether the conversation is about building a health benefits exchange or transforming the healthcare delivery system .
The value of a system that relies much more heavily on health information technology (HIT) is not lost on employers, as demonstrated by a recent survey conducted by the Midwest Business Group on Health (MBGH). According to the survey conducted last month, nearly all responding employers of various sizes support efforts to adopt EHRs and promote the interoperability of EHRs, believing it will improve management of costly conditions such as chronic disease and result in long-term savings.
Employers, however, do not appear as certain about payment reforms based in part on provider use of EHRs and even more hesitant to accept higher up-front costs for regional and statewide HIEs. The survey results are not surprising, but do demonstrate a level of support among the employer community for HIT and the role it can play in transforming the system. The technological transformation of the healthcare delivery system, however, is not without cost and the short-term cost of moving a paper-based, somewhat “siloed” system to an integrated electronic system is not insignificant. The question of who pays for that “transformation” is always understandably prevalent, even if long-term savings are guaranteed.
The Illinois Chamber has been very supportive of state efforts to move forward with a statewide HIE because of the long-term, extended benefits of the ILHIE and Illinois providers that rely on secure electronic capture and transmittal of patient data. The Illinois Chamber, however, is cognizant of the short-term costs associated with such a transformation and knows that private sector support is key, but also not easily gained without education and collaboration.
MBGH is hosting a learning network program on this issue on December 7 and we look forward to partnering with them next year to broaden that education platform on the value of electronic health records and the importance of interoperability to the employer community.
For more resources:
CMS Information on the EHR Incentive Program for Medicare and Medicaid
Illinois Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center (IL-HITREC)
Chicago Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center (CHITREC)
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