I have always been frustrated by having to fill out the same health history forms at the doctor’s office, emergency room, hospital or out-patient clinic.  Honestly, if these healthcare providers are part of a regional healthcare “system” then my information should be shared as easily as giving my consent.  Instead, the situation appears to be getting worse.  As I get older and I have to see a specialist now and then, out comes the inevitable clipboard.  I don’t mind updating my address, phone numbers or insurance information because that makes sense in our mobile (and mobile phone) society.  However, I shouldn’t be expected to “stand and deliver” on when each and every surgery or medical procedure that was done in the last five years, especially when I frequent the same hospitals, doctors or labs.

In my view, information and data exchange is critical to the delivery of quality patient care services and effectiveness of healthcare organizations. The benefits of appropriate sharing of health information among patients, physicians, and other authorized participants in the healthcare delivery value chain, are nearly well understood and desired by us regular clients. If my experience is any indicator, few organizations and systems have taken advantage of the full potential of the current state of the art in computer science and healthcare informatics.  The solution is a Healthcare Information Exchange (HIE) which is an initiative that aligns the areas of technology, interoperability, standards utilization, harmonization, and business information systems necessary to make the elimination of the healthcare clipboard possible.

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