Every time a patient visits a hospital, doctor’s office, dentist or other healthcare provider, information about that patient’s health is recorded and saved to maintain an accurate record of his or her medical history. Most often, this information is stored electronically, in what is called an Electronic Health Record, or “EHR” for short.

To make sure all patients in the North Country receive high-quality care both locally and across the state, FDRHPO has worked to implement Electronic Health Records in medical offices region-wide, and it is our mission to connect them all through a Health Information Exchange, as well as a Population Health Management Tool.

To achieve these goals — and others in the field of Health Information Technology — FDRHPO formed the North Country Health Information Partnership (N-CHIP), a collaborative of local hospital, practices, clinics and healthcare providers that works to maintain, optimize and advance the region’s Health IT infrastructure. The membership of this collaborative is strong, consisting of…

Why is Health IT Important?

Though it is often overlooked because of its role “behind the scenes” of everyday healthcare, Health Information Technology and Infrastructure is the bedrock of our modern healthcare system. It is a pivotal tool in gathering, analyzing and reporting clinical quality measures, which let providers know how they can improve. Health IT can save time, money, and ultimately, lives!

Interoperability

In a complex system like our regional Health Information Exchange, interoperability is key. We want our healthcare providers to be able to communicate effectively and share information so they can coordinate the best care possible for North Country patients.

To make this possible, FDRHPO has partnered with HealtheConnections, a Health Information Exchange in Syracuse, New York. Through this partnership, our region’s physicians, hospitals, public health departments, behavioral health providers and other medical offices are able to securely share Electronic Health Records — along with relevant images like MRIs, X-rays, mammograms or CT scans — in no time at all.

Through a unique partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, our Health Information Exchange also extends to include the EHRs of Fort Drum soldiers, their families and veterans. This integration allows some of our nation’s finest to receive seamless care throughout the North Country, both through the military health system and our community practices.

Data Analytics

Determined to stay at the forefront of Health Information Technology, FDRHPO is working with several local partners to implement a Population Health Management Tool in our region.

This technology aggregates patient health information from a variety of sources — such as EHRs, insurance claims, and others — and analyzes it to track and improve clinical outcomes while lowering costs. This endeavor supports our region’s participation in value-based payment contracting, and current and future practice transformation incentive programs.

Regardless of project, the privacy and security of our region’s patients is paramount to all of FDRHPO’s Health IT initiatives.

Want to learn more?

If you have questions about FDRHPO’s population health priorities or initiatives, our population health team can help you out! Get to know us below to see who might be your best contact.