Overview
Virtual Health Record (VHR)
eME
ePrescribing
eResults
Clinical Messaging
EMR Integration
Data Integration
Hosting, Maintenance Support
Business Services
Site and Services Evaluation
Training
Support
Overview
The Rochester RHIO provides a range of services and offerings to promote and support the movement towards a patient-centric view of clinical information. Realizing that the health information technology landscape is varied and complex, we seek to provide a continuum of value - from physicians just getting their first computer, to hospitals and large practices already well along the path to EMR adoption. At the core of the RHIO services are a set of policies and procedures around patient privacy and security. On top of these core community policies sits a community-wide Master Patient Index (MPI) and Record Locator Service (RLS) to identify, locate, and present electronic medical information including lab and radiology reports and medication history for patients who have chosen to participate.
The technology vendor the Rochester RHIO selected is Axolotl Corporation. They provide federated information architecture: the limited demographic data required to locate patient records is stored centrally, and detailed medical information is maintained in separate healthcare institutional databases.
The software offerings provided by the Rochester RHIO support both a query based approach to requesting clinical information, and a clinical messaging model where results are routed directly to ordering physicians. Two web based software applications are available, making connection and deployment easier.
Virtual Health Record (VHR)
This web-based query tool provides patient-specific historical community-wide clinical information, laboratory and radiology reports and medication history, along with high level insurance eligibility information. Underlying this application is a sophisticated auditing and security mechanism which keeps track of all clinical results requested by individual users and provides patient consent tracking functionality. It is available to all authorized providers at no charge.
eME
This web tool adds the capabilities of ePrescribing, clinical messaging and EMR "lite" functionality. ePrescribing and clinical messaging allow for the capture and routing of direct clinical results, and the eME application provides a great way for practices and clinics to get automated in a painless incremental approach. The additional capabilities of tracking allergies, problem lists, vaccination histories, in- practice specific databases, and supporting referrals and task routing, take this application toward a functionally rich EMR Lite solution.
ePrescribing
ePrescribing connectivity can be established between your practice and the pharmacies your patients prefer. A bi-directional connection links this ePrescribing application (installed on your practice computer) with pharmacy computers. Pharmacies receive prescriptions electronically in most cases, and refill requests are sent electronically. ePrescribing saves staff and physician time, decreases the risk of medication errors and automatically updates the patient medication history viewed on the community health information exchange. For additional information about ePrescribing go to www.surescripts.com.
eResults
Already using an EMR? The RHIO can deliver electronic results directly to your clinical inbox. No more logging into multiple portals for results. No more dollars spent on interfaces with data providers. No more phoning and waiting for lab results, or sending patients for another round of tests when results are not forthcoming.
The RHIO works with EMR vendors to facilitate integration. Since eResults mirrors the existing exchange of information in a medical practice, patients do not need to sign the RHIO Patient Consent Form to receive their results through the RHIO. You can receive reports, forward reports to referring physicians and save reports into your EMR. The Rochester RHIO does not charge physicians for eResults. Contact Jessica Hasler, (jhasler@grrhio.org) for information about eResults.
Clinical Messaging
At the heart of the Rochester RHIO is a robust clinical messaging architecture which not only routes clinical results to authorized physicians, but can also update the federated historical repositories that support the query based community virtual health record. Lab, Radiology practices and hospitals can move away from the headache of building and maintaining a complex array of interfaces. Instead, they can route results through the Rochester RHIO to their ordering physicians, and physicians can forward and message with other RHIO participants.
EMR Integration
Our clinical messaging architecture also supports two levels of integration to third party EMR systems, based on a standardized HL7 interface. Contact the Rochester RHIO for information about integrating with your EMR.
Data Integration
Central to a health information exchange is data exchange and integration from a variety of data systems. The Rochester RHIO along with Axolotl software engineers work with each data-providing organization's staff to ensure a smooth and fairly painless approach to this technical task. With a strong track record in connecting dozens of hospitals across multiple state lines, Axolotl quickly leverages existing hospital and lab messaging systems and portals to securely route clinical messages out to the HIE and the community VHR.
Hosting, Maintenance Support
The software applications are hosted and housed in secure, hardened data centers, with full data monitoring, security, system back-up and disaster recovery services. Technical maintenance and support are supplied by the Axolotl Corporation. The Rochester RHIO maintains a first line help desk and support center to answer questions and triage and resolve issues that arise.
Business Services
The challenges and opportunities of health information exchange are not all technical. To assist physicians and healthcare institutions make the most of their participation in an HIE, the Rochester RHIO offers a series of related services.
Site and Services Evaluation
To help you better understand our product offerings and help select the best approach for your setting, members of the RHIO staff or members of the Rochester Independent Practice Association can meet with you and explore in more detail how each of the RHIO tools and offerings might be utilized.
Training
The Rochester RHIO provides training in conjunction with Rochester Independent Practice Association (RIPA), and offers on-site training and/or web based training to assist physicians and office staff with incorporating RHIO software tools into their daily workflow. RHIO also supplies each office with patient communication materials outlining the value and capabilities of health information exchange to help offices explain to their patients what participation entails.
Support
The Rochester RHIO Call Center operates Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm. Callers are prompted to leave a message during non-business hours. The call center serves both providers and patients. Our call-center professionals can help with:
- Lost passwords
- New user information
- MPI merges
- Patient Consent information
- Questions about using the VHR, ePrescribing, or Clinical Messaging
- Request a user or patient audit
- Check health information exchange system status
- Report health information exchange service problems
- Help schedule a on-site visit
Toll free: 1-877-865-RHIO or 586-410-6800 fax 586-410-6801