Health Information Technology (HIT) is a broad term that describes the technology and infrastructure used to record, analyze, and share patient health data. HIT improves the quality of healthcare delivery, increases patient safety, decreases medical errors, and strengthens the interaction between patients and healthcare providers.

Telehealth

California’s CHCs have long utilized a variety of telehealth tools to deliver care to their patients. Telehealth provides an efficient means to connect patients and providers, patients to health equipment monitored by health care providers, providers to learning opportunities, and general connectivity.

Resources
  • California Telehealth Network (CTN) - CTN works with the California Telehealth Resource Center (CTRC), previously known as the California Telemedicine and eHealth Center (CTEC), to expand telehealth training and support for rural and medically underserved clinics and hospitals in California.
  • Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) - CCHP offers tools, materials, and technical assistance on telehealth policy.

Health Information Exchange (HIE)

HIE 2021

Federal mandates are helping to advance interoperability. Health Information Exchanges (HIE) and Health Information Networks (HIN) together are one of the three defined Actors in the 21st Century Cures Act Information Blocking rule overseen by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC).

What is HIE

Health information exchange, or HIE, connects the electronic health record (EHR) systems of providers and clinicians allowing them to securely share patient information and better coordinate care. The reach of HIEs encompasses first responders, hospitals, labs, community behavioral health and physical health providers to post-acute care and hospice providers.

Benefits of HIE

Healthcare clinicians have always been able to provide better care when they have more complete information on their patients. More complete patient information and better coordinated care is more important than ever today when the healthcare industry faces a future of value-based care where payment is based on value and outcomes rather than the amount or type of services delivered. The movement of patient information to EHR systems allowed these systems to be connected through health information exchange (HIE), facilitating automated, machine-to-machine information exchange that provides information to clinicians when they need it. HIEs support more complete longitudinal patient records and more comprehensive and coordinated care.

Resources