HORSHAM, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Quality Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: QSII) and a leading provider of healthcare information systems, services, and connectivity solutions, today announced it has successfully connected to the Mass HIway, marking the opening of a new secure electronic communication channel for Massachusetts healthcare providers. This has created thousands of connections across hospitals and eligible professionals nationwide.

Through this partnership, providers utilizing NextGen® Share can now exchange crucial patient information with the 350+ organizations connected to the Mass HIway, the statewide health information exchange that facilitates the transmission of healthcare data and health information amongst providers, hospitals, and other healthcare entities throughout Massachusetts.

As a HISP solution, NextGen Share provides secure connectivity between both NextGen Healthcare and non-NextGen Healthcare providers. The solution fully supports interoperability across all certified Electronic Health Records (EHR) vendors to enable robust exchange of clinical information. It includes a searchable provider directory and message translation between supported formats. Providers can exchange clinical data files such as Consolidated-Clinical Document Architecture (C-CDA) files and attachments, referral request letters, intake notes, and more. Access to and sharing of this type of patient data will improve patient safety and patient health outcomes across the network.

“Collaborating and connecting with an interoperability leader like NextGen Healthcare, Mass HIway participants will now be able to connect with many Community Health Centers and practices that use NextGen’s EHR and HISP, resulting in better coordination of care for each patient and more comprehensive information for every physician,” said Darrel Harmer, acting secretariat chief information officer at the Massachusetts’ Executive Office of Health and Human Services. “The partnership with NextGen Healthcare exemplifies how use of the Mass HIway can improve the speed and efficiency of care coordination for all Massachusetts’ residents.”

“The exchange of healthcare data promises to deliver far greater benefits than just the convenience of data mobility,” explained Michael Lovett, executive vice president and general manager for NextGen Healthcare. “The Direct messaging connection between NextGen Healthcare and the Mass HIway clearly demonstrates our commitment to enabling the uninhibited exchange of patient data and reaffirms our commitment to data fluidity. Through the deployment of NextGen Share, we are lowering the barriers to data interoperability, and the cost to do so, thereby creating the necessary communications channels to circumvent data blockers while complying with state and federal privacy laws.”

About the Mass HIway
The mission of the Mass HIway is to deploy a secure electronic health information exchange that is accessible to all healthcare systems statewide, regardless of affiliation, location, or differences in technology; and to serve as a tool for the Commonwealth's healthcare community, improving coordination, quality, patient satisfaction, and public health reporting while containing costs. The Mass HIway is operated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Executive Office of Health and Human Services and overseen by a Health Information Technology Council and informed by consumer, provider, legal and policy, and technology advisory groups to promote a transparent, multi-stakeholder engagement model.

About NextGen Healthcare
NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Quality Systems, Inc., provides integrated clinical, connectivity, and financial solutions, including revenue cycle management services for ambulatory, inpatient, and dental provider organizations. For more information, visit www.nextgen.com and www.qsii.com. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

About Quality Systems, Inc.
Irvine, Calif.-based Quality Systems, Inc. and its NextGen Healthcare subsidiary develop and market computer-based practice management, electronic health records, and revenue cycle management applications as well as connectivity products and services for medical and dental group practices and small hospitals. Visit www.qsii.com and www.nextgen.com for additional information.