Nebraska, Iowa HIEs Form Regional Health Data Utility
Two Midwestern health information exchanges, the Nebraska Health Information Initiative (NEHII) and the Iowa Health Information Network (IHIN), have agreed to merge.
In November, the nonprofit entities announced plans to move forward with a due diligence process to study a partnership. At the time they said the affiliation would strengthen the region's core HIE services and bring needed innovation to help their healthcare communities. Under the arrangement, Omaha-based NEHII will continue all services of IHIN as IHIN remains the state-designated entity for purposes of administering and governing the statewide Iowa health information network.
“Strategically aligning these organizations will better serve the healthcare data needs in Iowa and Nebraska," said Ted Boesen, IHIN board chair, in a statement. “NEHII is one of the nation's most advanced and mature HIEs. Iowa's physicians, healthcare facilities and patients will benefit from becoming part of the Nebraska infrastructure and the additional value-added services they are able to provide clinicians, enabling delivery of better health outcomes."
As stewards of data for more than 1,000 healthcare organizations across both states participating in HIE services, NEHII and IHIN will form a regional health data utility for the Midwest, providing information services for continuity of healthcare. This is essential, the organizations stressed, especially during public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic, because communities rely on health information just like electricity, water and communication services.
The concepts of health data as a utility like electricity and that scaling up is critical for HIEs have both taken hold recently. Some HIEs are consolidating with an eye on possibly becoming QHINs under the TEFCA framework under development at the national level. Last year the HIEs in Colorado and Arizona announced a plan to form a regional health data utility in the West.
“The next evolution for HIEs is to become regional health data utilities for their communities, providing vital services just like the water, electric, and other essential utilities,” said Morgan Honea, CORHIO CEO, in a statement at the time the merger was announced. “CORHIO and Health Current are among the forerunners to strategically align and create the infrastructure for regional and nationwide interoperability by building a business and operating model that will further advance our collective services and community support.”
"NEHII and IHIN are already successfully collaborating on community information exchanges, known as Unite Nebraska and Unite Iowa, that address social determinants of health issues," Boesen explained. "This partnership is a natural progression of the work we started together earlier this year."
