FAQs for New Tech 21

The new robust technology platform will enhance Georgia ConnectedCare and other value-added services as well as provide the technical foundation to launch new and more advanced service offerings to our members. The new platform will support new opportunities and services long into the future. While the existing technology platform has served GaHIN well, it would not allow GaHIN to deliver more advanced and robust services.

• Georgia ConnectedCare (GaHIN’s query-based platform)
• ADT Alerts
• Clinical Viewer (the clinical viewer is accessed by GAMMIS users)

GaHIN chose to work with Velatura Public Benefit Corporation (Velatura) for a number of reasons, including the company’s extensive experience with HIEs, solid technology platform, and commitment to serving as an ongoing partner.

Velatura has developed proprietary cloud-based technology that will be customized to meet GaHIN members’ specific needs. This technology will use the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Healthcare cloud platform. Click here to learn more about the AWS Healthcare and Life Sciences platform.

Shirelle King, who joined GaHIN in 2018, has been named Member Relations and Onboarding Manager. She is serving as the main point of contact for members during this project and in the future. You can reach Shirelle at sking@gahin.org.

GaHIN and Velatura understand the number of challenges facing members, especially during this pandemic. We are committed to minimizing the impact on members’ workload and data access as much as possible.

The first step was conducting a Discovery with IBM Watson (GaHIN’s former technology provider) to examine every aspect of the technology. Those meetings are being followed by meetings with each member to discuss their specific technological needs and use cases. The Discovery phase is expected to be completed by the end of April.

The implementation process has been divided into four cycles:

• Cycle I - Project Initiation, Discovery and Planning
• Cycle II - Initial Implementation Activities
• Cycle III - Data Migration and Conversion
• Cycle IV - Member Cut Over

GaHIN is expected to be in full production by the end of the summer.

Once all member connections are complete and have been thoroughly tested, the cutover will take place. This is currently scheduled for Summer 2021.

Health systems are seeking to leverage their data to address initiatives such as value-based payments and care quality. We expect that new capabilities of the technology platform will support data analysis and population health.

GaHIN is committed to making comprehensive patient data readily available to clinicians at the point of care, and the new technology will continue to make that possible. Additionally, there may be opportunities to streamline workflows and support increased productivity. This robust technology offers a number of possibilities that will be explored with members based upon their needs.

Patients benefit when their care providers have comprehensive information at the point of care. While patients won’t be directly accessing the information, their providers will have that access, enabling them to increase care quality while potentially reducing care costs.

We are excited about exploring the possibilities with our new vendor, but our current focus is on replacement of existing GaHIN services with the new vendor platform. This new robust technology will allow GaHIN to enhance existing services such as our ADTs and positions GaHIN to explore and implement new services in the future for the membership.