The Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council (MCHC) is launching a health information exchange (HIE), bringing interoperability to Chicago area hospitals and thousands of physicians in the area, the membership service group announced this week.
The interoperability technology will be done through the MetroChicago HIE, which MCHC says will enable clinical collaboration across the Chicagoland area by providing extensive patient information across the care continuum. Thirty-four hospitals are part of the launch group, and the MCHC is looking for all 89 hospitals in the metropolitan area to eventually sign on.
“Our vision is to achieve a sustainable, value-driven HIE that allows the health care community in Chicagoland to partner together for better access to health information to enhance patient outcomes. Sandlot was the clear choice in helping us to achieve this vision,” Kevin Scanlan, President and CEO of MCHC, said in a statement.
MCHC says it plans on expanding beyond hospitals to include long-term acute care hospitals, skilled nursing centers, and other provider organizations. The ultimate goal of the MetroChicago HIE is to connect all of the region’s hospitals and serve the 9 million patients in the Chicago area.
The MetroChicago HIE will have a significant impact on how health care is provided in the Chicago area,” said Julio Silva, M.D., medical director of the MetroChicago HIE and vice president of clinical systems and CMIO of Rush University Medical Center,said in a statement. “By having secure access to patient information throughout the continuum of care, health care providers can ensure that they are providing the most appropriate, quality care to their patients.”
Providing the technology for the HIE will be Sandlot Solutions out of Fort Worth, Texas.
