Oklahoma to launch Health Information Exchange

Posted on: 11/13/20

 
Oklahoma is designing a statewide health information exchange to allow health information to flow securely to and from authorized organizations and individuals in Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Health Information Exchange (HIE) is intended to allow Oklahomans and their providers, hospitals and health systems, state health agencies and local health departments, health information business associates, and an increasingly inclusive ecosystem of human service organizations to have secure, accurate data available.

Benefits of an HIE include improving patient safety by reducing medication and medical errors, preventing the duplication of tests and redundant collection of information from the patient, as well as improving public health reporting.

One of the primary components of information systems in health care are the computerized systems that allow health care organizations to be able to transmit as well as receive patient care information.

“The initial focus will be on the state’s Medicaid providers with a goal of working with all health agencies and providers in the state of Oklahoma.” Oklahoma Health Care Authority CEO and Secretary of Health and Mental Health, Kevin Corbett, expands, “These systems are essential in allowing health care organizations to work with one another, which will allow for the integration of health care organizations statewide, and possibly nationwide.”

Carter Kimble will transition from his current role as deputy secretary of health and mental health to join OHCA as the executive director of the State Health Information Exchange. Kimble brings over a decade of experience in health policy working across the spectrum of health care including Medicaid, public health, graduate medical education and mental health.

The health information exchange is expected to launch in the fall of 2021.