Push and query are gaining momentum in the Keystone State as preferred methods of health information exchanges, according to the results of a Pennsylvania eHealth Partnership Authority survey of health information organizations (HIOs) throughout the state.

Survey participants were asked about which methods they currently planned to use for sharing data for 11 different functions.

“There is an evident trend, continuing from prior surveys, toward use of both push and query across virtually all functions, except for the two clinical messaging functions,” the survey results read.

The two clinical functions in question were “Provider to Patient Clinical Messaging” and “Provider to Provider Clinical Messaging.” For the former, no participants said they planned to use push or query, and two participants said they planned to use “DIRECT” exchanges. The latter was a mix of push, query, and DIRECT exchanges.