New Hampshire statewide HIO goes live

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has launched the state's health information organization, as stated by the agency in a news release.

In a recent Statehouse ceremony, Gov. John Lynch signed House Bill 489 which established New Hampshire's Health Information Organization (NH-HIO). The bill is the culmination of several years of planning among more than 80 stakeholders working with the New Hampshire General Court.

HHS' Office of Health IT (OHIT) led the planning effort with support from the Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative (MAeHC) and the New Hampshire Institute for Health Policy and Practice at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, N.H.

"This new law allows the creation of a health information organization, which will mean a faster, easier and more secure transfer of health records, saving time and money, while still protecting patient privacy," Lynch said in a statement.

NH-HIO is designed to meet the goals of protecting the privacy and security of personal health information while creating an infrastructure that will help providers coordinate patient care and reduce administrative costs. NH-HIO plans to hold its first board of directors meeting later this month and will begin operating as a private, nonprofit corporation shortly thereafter, according to the release.

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