Mass. Moves Forward With Statewide Health Information Exchange

A new information exchange will allow hospitals, doctors, long-term facilities and other medical personnel to exchange clinical data via a secure statewide network. The White House approved $16.9 million for the project.

Massachusetts contracted with Orion Health to develop the statewide network. The project is designed to improve communication between these institutions and reduce redundancies.

Andrew Dasenbrock told NPR’s Morning Edition that he was overcharged for medical care:

"I lay the two bills next to each other and it was literally word for word, letter for letter, line item by line item the exact same charges on the two separate invoices for all the tests that I had gone through."

And an animated video by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, part of the federal Department of Health & Human Services, explains that this system will change health care for the better.

Suppose you have a new doctor that needs the results of a past check-up. Or your father forgets which medicine he's supposed to take. Or your child's away at camp and needs to go to the ER. Having online access to you and your family's medical history can save more than time; it can save lives.

Does your doctor or clinic use an electronic health record? Would you be OK with your health data being sent from your doctor's office to the hospital or to the lab?

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