2006 and Beyond
I was asked to make a few comments regarding the “RHIO Monitor” for the newly formatted Medical Blog. Coincidentally we are beginning a new year, 2006 which promises to be a great one for regional health data exchanges, whether they are called RHIOs or by some other name.
The buy in to a RHIO takes place at different levels for different types of health care providers. For hospitals it may have to do with retaining referring doctors, or enabling better emergency care in their ERs for the uninsured. A RHIO can provide a communication link to ambulatory clinics for uninsured patients whose care would be better served in a clinic rather than a more expensive emergency room. Uncompensated emergency room care has been a fatal blow to many EDs in California as well as elsewhere. This situation has become critical in many urban areas of Southern California. For others it may be an avenue to determining eligibility and authorizations for office visits from payors. For specialists and consultants the information highway may offer automated clinical reporting to their referring primary physicians at far less expense than todays dictation, transcription, mailing routines. Primary care physicians may soon be able to schedule appointments directly with their consulting specialists via the RHIO portal and look at schedule in other offices, that are allotted for their office.
We are still only imagining a future reality that may not materialize without strong support from individual physicians, not just organized medicine, nor governmental subsidy. The sustainable, and desirable business model is essential, that demonstrates a product fueled by a need.
San Diego is well along in their model and their portal can be examined at www.1medlink.com
Gary Levin MD Coordinator Inland Empire RHIO
ierhio@dc.rr.com www.riversidehealth.blogspot.com
The buy in to a RHIO takes place at different levels for different types of health care providers. For hospitals it may have to do with retaining referring doctors, or enabling better emergency care in their ERs for the uninsured. A RHIO can provide a communication link to ambulatory clinics for uninsured patients whose care would be better served in a clinic rather than a more expensive emergency room. Uncompensated emergency room care has been a fatal blow to many EDs in California as well as elsewhere. This situation has become critical in many urban areas of Southern California. For others it may be an avenue to determining eligibility and authorizations for office visits from payors. For specialists and consultants the information highway may offer automated clinical reporting to their referring primary physicians at far less expense than todays dictation, transcription, mailing routines. Primary care physicians may soon be able to schedule appointments directly with their consulting specialists via the RHIO portal and look at schedule in other offices, that are allotted for their office.
We are still only imagining a future reality that may not materialize without strong support from individual physicians, not just organized medicine, nor governmental subsidy. The sustainable, and desirable business model is essential, that demonstrates a product fueled by a need.
San Diego is well along in their model and their portal can be examined at www.1medlink.com
Gary Levin MD Coordinator Inland Empire RHIO
ierhio@dc.rr.com www.riversidehealth.blogspot.com
