HL7 and HIE

HIE (Health Information Exchange) moves the health information electronically throughout the community, region, and hospital system. It is also known as the Health Information Organization helping with exchanging medical information.
On the other hand, HL7 (Health Level 7) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing standards for integrating, exchanging, and retrieving health information. This ANSI-accredited development organization has a comprehensive framework for the movement of electronic health information supporting clinical practice and management. Its underlying objective is to exchange information between the healthcare systems.
Role of HL7 In HIE
Patients may require to visit one hospital to another to get specialized treatment. Their Electronic Health Records (EHR) are with the healthcare organization where they were initially treated. Here, HIE, along with HL7, plays a crucial role. Instead of using fax machines, it helps circulate and exchange medical records through a comprehensive network. Real-time access to the patient’s data offers another healthcare facility based out of the region or the city. HL7 helps remove medical errors to provide quality healthcare. It decreases the time and cost of providing the patient’s clinical information to the researchers.
Benefits Of Health Information Exchange
  • Minimizes Medical Errors: It exchanges the data through a secure digital channel with other medical facilities and ensures no errors in the medical records.
  • Improved Patient Care: The interoperability of the medical information between the healthcare organizations helps save patient’s life in less time. HIE helps improve rural healthcare and provides efficient responses to the public health crisis.
  • No More Paperwork: Unnecessary paperwork is eliminated under the HIE, as it uses electronic transfers for medical information. The caregivers have access to the clinical decision support tools and other required equipment.
  • Works As Smart Health Monitoring Tool: HIE helps with healthcare reporting and monitoring when it comes to data exchange between healthcare organizations. The preferred reporting system is used to monitor and review the efficiency of HIE by experts.
  • Diseases Management: The transition from one hospital to another is swift, and there is no error in sending medical records to help patients get specialized treatment for a particular disease. Providers get immediate access to the clinical data that make disease management easier.
  • Cost–Effective System: It is cost-effective because the patient’s data and other information are provided digitally. No more paperwork is required or sending of medical staff from one place to another now and then.
New US-based Companies Associated with HIE
Under Health Information Exchange or HIE, almost 300 companies are found. A few names are as under:
  • Big Sky Care Connect
  • Alabama One Health Record
  • Ciphertex Data Security
  • Complete Healthcare Solutions Inc.
  • SONIFI Health
  • CIE San Diego
  • Connie
  • Intelliware Development Inc.
These companies provide software or data systems for medical organizations and hospitals. Moreover, they help in maintaining the customized integrated healthcare system program. It will improve data quality and its exchange in the healthcare organization.

hl7

Conclusion
HIE is helping community hospitals and healthcare organizations to render fast and detailed data about the patients without any interruption. The digital movement of data has made things easier for patients and healthcare providers. No more delays in providing medical treatment.