Iowa contracts Hielix, Mednet to support statewide HIE

The state of Iowa has selected Hielix and Mednet to develop a strategic business and financial sustainability plan to support a statewide health information exchange (HIE).

The contract, facilitated by Iowa e-Health–a collaboration created by the Iowa Department of Public Health to plan and promote the adoption and use of health IT across the state–begins the first step in the HIE planning phase, as detailed in the 2010 Iowa e-Health Strategic and Operational Plan submitted to Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC).

In March, ONC awarded Iowa $8.34 million to establish a statewide HIE by 2014 as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's HITECH provision. Iowa’s Strategic and Operational Plan describes the strategies and activities to advance adoption of EHRs and establish a statewide HIE.

The plan is currently pending approval, stated Hielix, an HIE applications creator based in Tampa, Fla.

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