Tiger Institute Health Alliance, based in Columbia, Mo., and Lewis and Clark Information Exchange in Kansas City, Mo., have connected to share patient records between their respective health information exchanges.
Participating providers across Missouri and Kansas can now access more than 2.5 million patient records. Combined, the two HIEs include 30 hospitals, about 4,000 physician practices and a variety of other care sites including clinics and long-term care facilities. As part of the agreement, the information exchange involves no connection fees for either of the networks, member providers or patients.
Leaders from both HIEs emphasized how the new connection will help improve patient care. "We are now sharing medical records among patients' health care providers in different cities — even different states — all within months of agreeing to do so," said Mike Dittemore, executive director of LACIE, in a news release. "This connection to the Tiger Institute Health Alliance is the most significant connection LACIE has made to date."
Harold A. Williamson Jr, MD, board chair of the Tiger Institute Health Alliance and vice chancellor of the University of Missouri Health System, agreed. "As Americans become more mobile, they are receiving health care from different providers, often in different cities," he said. "That makes partnerships like these more important. This data sharing will allow physicians to view their patients' medical records from other healthcare organizations instantly, giving physicians more information to make the best healthcare decisions."
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