ATLANTA, Nov 07, 2019 - Georgia Health Information Network (GaHIN), the state-designated health information exchange (HIE) for Georgia, awarded a total of $500,000 to its members in 2019 to accelerate technology adoption and the electronic exchange of health information. Since the Intermediary Program’s inception five years ago, 380 providers have received grants totaling $3.8 million.
GaHIN’s Intermediary Grant Program helps Georgia's providers and hospitals connect to the HIE so they can securely access and share patient information at the point of care. Intermediaries are hospital-based and regional HIEs that have direct technical interoperable connections to GaHIN. The program is funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, with the Georgia Department of Community Health passing the funds through to GaHIN to develop and execute the program.
For 2019, 50 providers were on-boarded to GaHIN’s statewide HIE network. GaHIN members receiving awards included Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Georgia Regional Academic Community Health Information Exchange (GRAChIE), HealtheConnection, HealtHIE Georgia, HI-BRIDGE HIE and WellStar, which recently connected to GaHIN.
“Through these grants, medical practices and other care providers throughout Georgia are able to improve the quality of care they deliver while reducing costs,” said Pam Matthews, RN, MBA, FHIMSS, CPHIMS, Executive Operating Officer of GaHIN. “Connecting to GaHIN facilitates providers’ ability to access and exchange patient information not just within their local network, but across Georgia and adjoining states.”
GaHIN’s members include regional HIEs, hospital systems, physician groups and individual practitioners. GaHIN’s products, which are available at no cost to qualified healthcare professionals, include:
GeorgiaDirect – gives providers a personalized email address that allows them to securely transmit patient health information to other authorized healthcare professionals; and
Georgia ConnectedCare – an innovative technology solution that enables providers to securely access a patient’s complete health record through their electronic health record (EHR) system.
About Georgia Health Information Network
Georgia Health Information Network (GaHIN) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a healthier Georgia by facilitating the use and secure exchange of electronic health information so providers have the information they need at the point of care. The result is improved quality of care, better health outcomes and reductions in cost. GaHIN’s two products, GeorgiaDirect and Georgia ConnectedCare, connect providers statewide and nationally and are available at no charge for credentialed, authorized Georgia users. www.gahin.org