News

The Idaho Health Data Exchange “Goes Live” in Meridian
Idaho Medical Association, IMAges Newsletter -- 04/01/09
Written by: LaDonna Larson, Idaho Health Data Exchange

"We're pretty excited about this cost effective alternative to a full-blown electronic medical record," says Dr. Lou Schlickman of his EMR Lite clinical database. His practice, Meridian Adult Medicine (MAM), implemented the e-prescribing component of the Idaho Health Data Exchange's EMR Lite in mid-February. Last week, Dr. Lou and the nurse practitioners at Meridian Adult Medicine started receiving lab results electronically from Interpath Laboratory in their EMR Lite clinical database. Dr. Schlickman is one of
the first providers to begin participating in the Idaho Health Data Exchange using the Exchange's EMR Lite. Schlickman acknowledges the practice is experiencing some of the usual hurdles associated with
implementing a new system but is pleased overall with the implementation noting, "It seems to be going fairly smoothly."

Dr. Schlickman's office is implementing EMR Lite in phases, which allows the users to get comfortable with a specific component, such as electronic delivery of lab results, before moving on to the next one,
like e-prescribing. While acknowledging the upfront effort, Schlickman can see how the effort his practice is putting forth will ultimately benefit his patients. "MAM's participation in the Exchange means that
area ER physicians and consultants will have real time access to my practice's patient information at the point of care, giving them better information to make treatment decisions," states Schlickman.

He can see potential process improvement that will come as a result of participating in the Exchange. Schlickman notes, "As the area hospitals come online and we're able to access ordering capability, and ultimately the Virtual Health Record, I can see a lot of efficiency to be gained in the office as a whole." Information that will be made available through the Virtual Health Record includes medication allergies, medication history and a problem list, along with lab and radiology results.

Once staff at Meridian Adult Medicine are comfortable with receiving lab results and routing them electronically within the office, Dr. Schlickman wants to take it to the next level. "Currently I'm
experimenting with Dragon Naturally Speaking and I understand it can be used in conjunction with EMR Lite's Office Transcription function to document chart notes," says Schlickman, "and I'm interested in exploring
that".

EMR Lite with e-prescribing and access to the Exchange's Virtual Health Record costs $770 per provider per year. Physicians who already have an EMR can also connect to the Idaho Health Data Exchange. Participation in the Exchange allows providers to communicate securely with each other via the Exchange and will provide delivery of results from participating hospitals, laboratories, and imaging centers through a single
connection. The cost for a provider who already has an EMR to connect to the Exchange is $390 per provider per year, and this includes access to the Virtual Health Record. This cost includes the work the Exchange will
have to do to create an interface with your EMR, but your EMR vendor will also charge you for an interface. If you are a provider who is considering purchase of an electronic medical record system, you may
want to ask your EMR vendor what they may charge for an interface to the IHDE.

Three of Idaho's hospitals have signed on to participate in the Exchange along with the laboratories. The interface with St. Luke's is anticipated to be completed by mid-April. Saint Alphonsus is targeting
the end of April for the completion of their interface. These interfaces will make laboratory, radiology, transcription and admission, discharge and transfer reports available to Exchange participants. As noted above, Interpath Laboratory is currently providing results through the Exchange. Work is scheduled to begin on an interface with Treasure Valley Laboratory in the coming weeks.

The interface between the Exchange and Kootenai Medical Center is complete; laboratory, radiology and admission, discharge and transfer reports from Kootenai are now available to subscribing providers. Work
on an interface with Alpha Laboratory is scheduled to begin shortly. Plans are underway for adding other hospitals to the list of Exchange participants.

The Exchange is currently signing up provider participants. For more information about the Idaho Health Data Exchange and how you can participate, contact LaDonna Larson at (208)332-7253 or via e-mail at
LLarson@IdahoHDE.org or visit the Exchange's website at http://www.idahohde.org/