Pennsylvania Health Information Exchange (PHIX)

The goal of the Pennsylvania Health Information Exchange - or PHIX – is to create a secure statewide network for sharing electronic health information for Pennsylvania's health care providers and patients.

The use of a secure statewide health information exchange will:

• give authorized health care professionals the information they need to provide services no matter when or where a patient needs care
• improve patient safety
• reduce redundant tests and procedures
• lead to reduced health care costs while improving public health monitoring and tracking
• enable Pennsylvania to connect to the national health information network

The PHIX Advisory Council, comprised of experts from across the Commonwealth, advises the Governor’s Office of Health Care Reform on PHIX strategies, issues and recommendations.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provides a great opportunity for the investment into health information technology. As part of ARRA, the Office of National Coordinator recently announced guidance for two grant opportunities. The first would be to develop regional HIT Extension programs to provide technical guidance, assistance and information on best practices on implementing useful HIT. The second will help build capacity for health care providers to better realize the full potential of health information exchanges.

GOHCR is working closely with stakeholders in an effort to develop the most competitive applications for these grants, and to ensure that they supplement and compliment PHIX when it is fully developed.

A Request for Proposal has been released regarding PHIX, it can be viewed here - interested parties are encouraged to: learn about doing business with the Commonwealth and sign up for eAlerts

Better health information leads to better health care.

Many physicians are in the process of converting traditional paper records to electronic medical records.  Many other industries, such as banking, have already made the transition to computer-based records. Access to a patient’s information by authorized caregivers will provide better quality of care.

What is an electronic medical record (EMR)?

It is an electronic record of health-related information on an individual that can be created, managed and consulted by authorized clinicians and staff within one health care organization.

How is an EMR different from an EHR?

When an individual’s data from multiple EMR’s and other systems such as hospital systems, laboratories and pharmacies are merged together it is called an electronic health record (EHR). This occurs when health care providers join networks for health information exchange like PHIX. These networks give health care professionals the ability to electronically transmit information needed to create an individual’s EHR. This enables information from multiple physicians or other health care professionals to be viewed as a single record.  It ensures that information about each patient is accessible when an authorized physician must make a treatment decision.

Who authorizes access to an EHR?

The patient is at the center of the health care delivery process. The patient has the authority to grant or remove access to his or her health care information.

Security

There may be concern from some individuals about the security of their personal health information.  There are federal and state laws such as HIPAA designed to protect both paper and electronic health records. PHIX will meet stringent requirements to ensure the safety and privacy of every individual’s information. Unlike paper health records that may be easily misplaced or lost, PHIX will include details on every time someone accesses an electronic health record. That information translates into better care and transparency for patients.