(1) What is InformationSTAT?

If you roll the tools found on this web site into a kit, you have a public education and media outreach campaign designed to raise public awareness and acceptance of secure electronic health information exchange (HIE). This is the "Information STAT" campaign.

The campaign messaging and key concepts were designed after extensive research among consumers, physicians, and employers. Research done in support of this project led our development team to conclude that the term "InformationSTAT" represents the urgency and importance of deploying important health and medical information to where it is needed the most at the point of care.

For more information on tools available to support the campaign, click here.

(2) What is HIE?

Health information exchange (ìHIEî) is defined as the mobilization of healthcare information electronically across organizations within a region or community.

HIE provides the capability to electronically move clinical information between disparate healthcare information systems while maintaining the meaning of the information being exchanged. The goal of HIE is to facilitate access to and retrieval of clinical data to provide safer, more timely, efficient, effective, equitable, patient-centered care.

Formal organizations are now emerging to provide both form and function for health information exchange efforts. These organizations (sometimes called Regional Health Information Organizations or RHIOs) are ordinarily geographically-defined entities which develop and manage a set of contractual conventions and terms, arrange for the means of electronic exchange of information, and develop and maintain HIE standards.

Although HIE initiatives differ in many ways, survey results and the eHealth Initiative's experiences with states, regions and communities indicate that those who are experiencing the most success share the following characteristics. They:

• Are governed by a diverse and broad set of community stakeholders;
• Develop and assure adherence to a common set of principles and standards for the technical and policy aspects of information sharing, addressing the needs of every stakeholder;
• Develop and implement a technical infrastructure based on national standards to facilitate interoperability;
• Develop and maintain a model for sustainability that aligns the costs with the benefits related to HIE; and
• Use metrics to measure performance from the perspective of: patient care, public health, provider value, and economic value.

Source: eHealth Initiative, Second Annual Survey of State, Regional and Community-based Health Information Exchange Initiatives and Organizations, August, 2005. Click here to receive a copy of the 2006 survey results.

Based on research conducted by the eHealth Initiative (July, 2006) a viable consumer definition of health information exchange is as follows:

ìHealth information exchange is a way to electronically move your personal health and medical information securely between your doctors, hospitals and other health care providers when it is needed for your care. With your consent, your health information will be protected and exchanged under current medical privacy and confidentiality standard procedures. Secure electronic health information exchange allows you to make sure your health information is available when and where you need it while seeking medical care or treatment.

(3) What organizations participate in health information exchange- where are they and what are they doing?

The eHealth Initiativeís Connecting Communities Directory is a compilation of state, regional and local initiatives focused on health information exchange. Data in this directory was self-reported by 147 of the organizations who participated in the eHealth Initiativeís 2006 Survey of State, Regional and Community-Based Health Information Exchange Initiatives. Through the eHI website, you can use a search engine to obtain information and to locate initiatives in each state.

(4) Why Are You Developing a Media and Education Kit?

To help raise awareness about work being done in the Gulf Coast areas a Media/Education Toolkit- called the InfomationSTAT campaign- was created to assist the Gulf Coast states as they develop local, state and regional health information exchange initiatives. The InformationSTAT campaign is focused on raising awareness among key populations about the benefits of secure electronic health information exchange and the benefits derived from this exchange.

Communities across the country are mobilizing information across organizations through multi-stakeholder collaboratives made up of a broad range of constituencies. They are at various levels of maturity in the development of health information exchange activities.

Last year the eHealth Initiative launched a first-of-its kind Connecting Communities Toolkit to support a set of common principles around forming, organizing, governing and financing community health information exchange. Among the seven modules contained in the Toolkit are principles and guides for practice transformation and public policy as well as policies and principles for information sharing and use of technology.

The InformationSTAT campaign is a natural extension of the eHealth Initiative's leadership role in offering tools to communities to assist them in educating consumers about the benefits of secure electronic health information exchange.

(5) Who Developed the Media/EducationToolkit?

The Media/Education Toolkit was developed by Health2 Resources and its business partners in association with eHealth Initiative Foundation's staff and several working groups and advisory boards. The task force assigned to the project leveraged eHIís significant experience working with several state, regional and community-based collaboratives which are currently focused on health information exchange. Quantitative and qualitative research for the project was conducted by Washington-based Public Opinion Strategies.

This website was made possible by Contract HHSP23320054104EE from the US Department of Health and Human Services to the Foundation for eHealth Initiative.

The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

(6) Can I Use the Tools at the Local, State or Regional Level?

Absolutely. These tools were developed with you in mind and you are encouraged to use all of them (in their current form) to help raise awareness about the work you are doing at the local, state and regional level.

While all communications campaigns will require local personalization, we have developed these pieces to save you time and money. The kit is organized in three sections:

I. Partnership Outreach Tools

II. Media Outreach Tools

III. Ad Campaign

Additionally, we have written five case examples showing use of health information exchange from the perspective of the consumer and physician.