ABSTRACT
The benefit of a Health Information Exchange (HIE) is facilitation of access to and retrieval of patient healthcare through safe, timely, efficient, effective, equitable, and patient centered methods. Sustainable HIE in the United States requires bringing several key ingredients together in order to create a service that will remain an invaluable part of health care culture and delivery. According to research, achieving sustainable HIE in the U.S. is creating a reality in which: (1) it is feasible for any health care provider, consumer or payer to electronically share individually identifiable data supporting efficiency and quality of care in a standards-based format through non-proprietary mechanisms using an approach that adheres to all federal security and privacy laws, regulations, and policies, including those of state governments; and (2) the costs and benefits of HIE are arranged so after establishment, HIE will be funded through mechanisms that reflect the collective advantages of HIE, such as third party reimbursements, instead of through extraordinary sources (NORC, 2009). The most notable challenges to achieving sustainable HIE include lack of financial incentives for using HIE, circumstances where those benefiting from HIE are not always those bearing the costs, and the lack of a consensus on a solid blueprint for building a successful and sustainable HIE. Currently, however, state governments are key players in health information exchange through; their participation in the market as they purchase healthcare for Medicaid-covered residents and state employees; and regulation of healthcare via policymaking, licensure, and enforcement; and the promotion of public health. According to the “Report to the Sate Alliance for E-Health,” prepared in collaboration by the University of Massachusetts Medical School for Health Policy and Research (CHPR),