Arizona Health-e Connection (AzHeC), a statewide nonprofit that has advanced health information technology and exchange in the state since 2007 is rebranding and launching the new name and brand of Health Current.
Incorporated in 2007, AzHeC has assisted more than 3,000 Arizona providers with the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) and has driven EHR adoption to more than 85 percent statewide. In recent years, the community-based health information exchange (HIE) has grown to include information on 8 million unique patients, including information on 90 percent of all hospital inpatient and emergency discharges. Just this week, Health Current is expected to cross the threshold of 300 participating organizations in the HIE, with growth of more than 800 percent in the past two years.
The rebranding change reflects the growth, progress and potential of Arizona’s HIE, according to CEO, Melissa Kotrys. “We have seen incredible growth recently as healthcare providers are being challenged to produce better care and outcomes, with access to more complete patient information one of their most critical needs,” Kotrys said. “Today Health Current is the health information exchange that helps our partners transform care by bringing together communities and information across Arizona.”
Health Current includes a broad range of participating organizations, including hospitals and healthcare systems, health plans, reference laboratories and community provider organizations. More recently the HIE has integrated physical and behavioral health information and now also includes more than 80 participating behavioral health organizations. As the need to broaden and improve patient care coordination and quality has grown, so has the diversity and range of interested stakeholders. Newer types of HIE participants include first responders, correctional health facilities, accountable care organizations, and facilities providing long-term care, home care and hospice.
The growth of the statewide HIE has required the careful development of a strategy and plan for integrating information into the delivery of care, according to Kotrys. “We have worked with our Board to adopt a plan and strategy for the next several years aimed at four four pillars of success: first, integrating data into the delivery of care; second, continuing to acquire more complete data; third, normalizing and standardizing the data we have; and finally, implementing value-added services for our participants that will help them be successful and make healthcare transformation possible,” Kotrys said.
More information on the new Health Current brand and organization is available at www.healthcurrent.org.
