The North Carolina Health Information Exchange (NC HIE) is implementing a direct messaging function from Orion Health (Santa Monica, Calif.) in an effort to expand its capabilities. The direct messaging function will aim to provide a secure communications network for healthcare organizations throughout the state, allowing the sharing of health data between physicians and facilities.
The direct secure messaging function is available as a standalone tool as well as part of Orion Health HIE solution. Orion says it was developed using the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology's (ONC) Direct Project’s standards. With it, physicians can receive text-based email messages over the internet, including patient referrals and continuity of care documents. It also gives organizations the ability to communicate across state lines with any ONC-compliant direct secure messaging system.
"The implementation of NC DIRECT through Orion Health Direct Secure Messaging is another step forward in NC HIE's mission to give physicians across North Carolina access to patients' health information when and where it's needed," Jeff Miller, CEO of the NC HIE, said in a statement. "NC HIE's ongoing partnership with Orion Health will evolve as our HIE does. Orion Health's solutions give us the flexibility and guidance that we need in order to foster improvements in patient care across hospitals, physician practices and other healthcare facilities in North Carolina."
According to NC HIE, more than 70 providers are enrolled in its service and have processed over one million transactions.
