Health information exchange among DirectTrust participants grew by 49 percent in the first quarter of 2019.
DirectTrust is a healthcare industry alliance that advocates for interoperable exchange of private health information between providers and patients. DirectTrust reported more than 164 million messages sent and received within its network for the first quarter, up 49 percent during the same period last year.
In April, the Department of Veterans Affairs joined DirectTrust's network, allowing the agency access to its direct messaging system. As a DirectTrust member, the VA can share patients' private health information with hospitals nationwide using the providers' EHRs.