North Carolina DHHS Signs N.C. HIE Data Use Agreement in Compliance with House Bill

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) has executed the North Carolina Health Information Exchange (NC HIE) Data Use Agreement in compliance with the NC Health Care Cost Reduction and Transparency Act of 2013 (House Bill 834).

House Bill 834 requires hospitals to connect to NC HIE and submit individual patient demographic and clinical data on services paid for with Medicaid funds, providing NC DHHS with near-real-time access to the types and quantities of medical services being provided through a single pipe in order to identify and control health care costs of the Medicaid program.

Providing health care givers statewide with access to complete patient health information through increased participation in NC HIE will also improve patient safety by reducing medical errors and adverse drug events.

“This agreement is an important step forward in improving how patients are treated and how the Medicaid program is managed. The sharing of clinical data is critical for outcomes-focused patient management and payment reform. Bringing together a patient’s record into a single, coherent view that can be shared in appropriate settings is the cornerstone of a new healthcare model that focuses on the whole patient. I applaud the legislature and the Secretary’s vision in supporting this initiative,” said NC HIE’s President, Chris Scarboro.

Connection to NC HIE will enable NC DHHS to efficiently adapt policy, programs and payment reform to better serve the State and reduce waste, fraud and abuse of the Medicaid program while improving population health operations and enhancing surveillance activities.