HIMSS survey on Direct identifies use, challenges
Other themes to emerge from the survey include continued challenges incorporating structured data into the EHR, extensive membership in a HISP, some knowledge of the availability of Direct messaging among the clinician community and that most participating organizations support Direct as the method choice for exchanging data.
In a release, the committees said they "see significant progress and optimism in several areas, signaling that HIE is maturing in the marketplace and beginning to deliver the intended value to their providers and communities."
The top five reported uses of Direct include: transitions of care, ADT notifications, patient communication, secure email for other purposes and consult requests between physicians. The top three reported benefits of using Direct include improved speed of information access, reduce paper handing, more accurate and complete patient information.
Major challenges impacting Direct implementations include high cost, changing workflows and other providers not ready to interface.
Seventy-six percent of respondents reported access to a provider directory, a further 64 percent report they can access internal providers from that directory from within their EHR, whereas 52 percent report they can access external providers within their EHR.
Just over half (51 percent) agree that the cost of using Direct is worth the benefit of information exchange.
Access the complete survey results.
Editor
Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.