Despite claims by some vendors that many examples of successful health information exchanges (HIEs) have been built on their solutions, only a relatively small number of vendors have produced a proven, repeatable model, according to a new report from KLAS (Orem, Utah).
In its research, KLAS validated 89 live HIE organizations that use commercial technologies to share patient data that is being viewed by doctors. Axolotl has the most live HIE clients in the acute-to-acute space, where two or more hospitals or health systems are sharing patient data, it says. KLAS identified seven live acute-to-acute HIE organizations using Axolotl technology, saying that providers cited the company’s flexible technology and the expertise of its staff with the HIE process as key reasons for selecting the vendor.
Meanwhile, Epic also had seven validated acute-to-acute sites, but the vendor is unique in that its Care Everywhere solution currently only connects Epic software customers, says KLAS.
According to the research, providers also reported a number of administrative challenges in deploying an HIE, including IT governance concerns regarding privacy, security and patient consent, as well as the financial viability and sustainability of the HIE. In fact, KLAS found that among its 89 validated sites, more than 70 percent are funded with state or federal grants.
For more information about the report — entitled Health Information Exchanges: The Reality of HIE Adoption — healthcare providers and vendors can visit www.KLASresearch.com/reports.