HIEs Proving Their Value in Face of COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 outbreak has put great burden on the global healthcare ecosystem, and the perilous speed at which the virus can spread has only placed greater emphasis on the need for providers to have real-time, accurate data at the point of care.

Historically, health information exchanges (HIEs) have played a key role in disaster relief efforts. For instance, when a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, strikes down, individuals often have to evacuate the places where they normally receive care and where their healthcare records are housed. In these situations, having an IT infrastructure that allows a provider to look up important data on a visiting patient is crucial for care delivery.

The COVID-19 crisis has presented a different type of challenge than man-made disasters, but nonetheless, HIEs across the U.S. have been ramping up efforts to play a part in helping their members respond to the public health emergency. Healthcare Innovation reported earlier this spring on a number of data-exchange networks around the country that are stepping up to play a part in sharing information and coordinating care in the face of the COVID-19 crisis.