Policy and Practice June 2017

technology speaks By Beth Davidson

From Pilot Project to Statewide Management: Alaska’s Health Information Exchange

I n May 2009, the Alaska legislature unanimously passed Senate Bill 133 (AK 18.23.300), an act creating a statewide Health Information Exchange (HIE) system that is interoperable and compliant with state and federal specifications and protocols for exchanging health records and data. In March 2010, Alaska eHealth Network was awarded a contract by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services to be the advisory or governing board that would procure and manage the Alaska HIE. Since this time, Alaska’s HIE has evolved from being a pilot project in interior Alaska to many organizations across the state utilizing the HIE and actively sharing data. In 2016, the Alaska legislature passed Senate Bill 74 (Medicaid Redesign). This has been a major milestone in Alaska’s effort to redesign our siloed and costly system of care. This bill mandates the use of data- driven practices and use of existing technology such as health information

exchanges. In late September 2016, the Alaska eHealth Network imple- mented a strategic planning initiative to look at interoperability and how it can be best achieved, including the use of the Alaska HIE and health information exchange “the verb.” Alaska has advanced interoperability in many ways through direct secure messaging and provider electronic health records, but there are more areas where interoperability is still in infancy, including cross-organization commitment, communication, and collaboration. The Alaska HIE has been a care- fully planned statewide solution to address interoperability for Alaska and one that will allow our system of care to move away from a fragmented, disconnected system to a robust, high- value, whole-person system. Today, Alaska’s HIE has query, portal access Current State of Alaska’s HIE

that allows users, with appropriate security roles, the ability to query an individual patient or client. For example, case managers—including those from child welfare, long-term support services, education, and other areas who have been granted access— can view and share necessary data for a client with other providers without having to utilize older technology such as facsimile or postal services. This query access allows the case manager (and other providers with a relationship to the client) the ability to collaborate for the whole person and provide high-quality, integrated care. Alaska’s HIE is also connected to the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services Enterprise Service Bus, which allows providers to share data, such as Public Health data, with the department. Alaska’s HIE cur- rently has additional features and functionality to include direct secure messaging, an electronic health record solution, patient portal, and other tools.

Photo illustration by Chris Campbell

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Policy&Practice June 2017