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How did the HIE get started?
Patient care today involves a variety of providers and specialists. Unfortunately, practitioners currently have no systemized way to get the whole picture of one’s health care. That is why the Rhode Island Quality Institute (RIQI), a not-for-profit community-based group is partnering with the State of Rhode Island to build an electronic health information exchange. In September 2004, the Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) was one of six states nationally to receive a $5M, 5-year demonstration grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The grant supports a community-based effort to design and develop a statewide Health Information Exchange.
Who is involved?
The HIE is a truly community-led initiative. Diverse and varied groups of stakeholders have been coordinated by RIQI and HEALTH over the past three years to provide the governance and direction necessary to advance this ambitious project. Since October 2004, this coalition has been engaged in a consistent and persistent effort to ensure that the voice of the consumer, or patient, is the central focus of the HIE.
In an effort to balance the interests and needs of multiple stakeholders, these individuals and groups have all participated in this initiative:
- Consumers
- Physicians and health care providers
- Leadership of RI’s community hospitals and major integrated delivery networks
- State agencies: HEALTH, Office of Health and Human Services, Office of the Insurance Commissioner
- Attorney General’s Health Care Advocate, State Child Advocate
- Health plans
- Consumer advocacy organizations
- Attorneys and other legal experts
- Community health centers
- Academicians and an ethicist
- Business leaders
- Professional associations and societies
This diverse coalition is structured to be inclusive. Our committee meetings are open to the public, with meeting schedules posted here. For a complete list of participants, click here.
What’s happening now?
Since October, 2004, the community has been engaged in important discussions and work regarding policies, safeguards, and the technical aspects of the HIE. Three years later, in October 2007, we’ve reached an exciting and critical juncture in the development of the HIE. As the initiative evolved, it became clear that certain safeguards were necessary to protect consumer information and the provider participants in the HIE. These safeguards have been codified in a draft of legislation that has been extensively vetted and discussed through all of the committees involved in the development of the HIE.
What are the goals of the HIE Legislation?
The draft you see today is our best effort to balance and reflect the diverse perspectives, needs, and interests of the Rhode Island community. The most critical goals of the legislation are:
- Safeguarding patient information. The legislation, if enacted, will ensure that:
- HIE participation is voluntary – both consumers and providers get to choose whether or not to participate.
- A regulatory framework is established to provide oversight of the system once it is created. This framework includes a regulatory agency. An independent advisory commission will provide recommendation on the uses of the information.
- Those who misuse the system will be penalized.
It is critical to mention that the legislation applies exclusively to the HIE. Existing systems that transfer information electronically (for instance, electronic health information that is managed within or between hospitals, providers or laboratories) will continue unaffected by this legislation.
What are the next steps with the legislation?
A community-wide effort is underway to build awareness and introduce the legislation during the 2008 session of Rhode Island’s General Assembly. A RIQI Board Committee is building the strategy that will guide this effort and shepherd the proposed bill through the legislative process. To receive regular updates on the process, join our email list
See the Draft HIE Legislation
To link directly to the most current version of the legislation, please click here.
