Gain some practical advice on implementing a private health information exchange from Denise Abraham, the health information exchange coordinator for The Washington Hospital, a 224-bed hospital in Washington, Pa., and Charles R. Vargo, executive director of the Washington Physician Hospital Organization Inc. (WPHO), which is a joint venture with the hospital and the 250 physicians on the hospital medical staff. Abraham and Vargo work closely on the Washington Health Information Network (WHIN), a private HIE that connects The Washington Hospital with physician practices affiliated with WPHO.

Hear how the private HIE, which includes data repositories and enterprise access via a physician portal, has helped to improve patient care by increasing physician knowledge and boost efficiency by allowing physicians, nursing and key clinical staff secure access to key information such as lab and radiology reports and EKGs. The HIE has united 13 EMRs from different vendors via interfaces to provide one data repository for enterprise access. Learn why they chose a private HIE, how it has evolved from 2006 until now and what advice they offer to other healthcare systems ready to embark on a private HIE project.

Presenters:

• Denise Abraham
  Health Information Exchange Coordinator, The Washington Hospital, Washington, Penn.
• Charles Vargo
  Executive Director, Washington Physician Hospital Organization (WPHO), Washington, Penn.
• Mary Tierney
  Chief Content Officer, TriMed Media Group