Indiana HIE a model for sustainability

By Patty Enrado, Editor

Proving the business case has historically been the Achilles Heel of health information exchanges (HIEs). With $2 billion allotted for the development of HIEs under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), however, HIEs should be motivated to create sustainability.

Emerging HIEs are fortunate to have the Indiana Health Information Exchange (HIE) as a model. Into its seventh year of operation and one of the oldest exchanges in the country, it has proven the business case.

In his education session 112, “HIE Sustainability: Lessons Learned by the Indiana Health Information Exchange,” Tuesday, March 2, at 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM in Room B405, John Kansky, vice president of Business Development for the Indiana HIE, will deliver the seven principles that all HIEs should apply as they make sustainability planning decisions.

While proving the business case was a relevant topic before the federal stimulus funding, the successful investment of those dollars into growing a viable HIE infrastructure is even more critical, he said. “If we’re not investing in something sustainable, it would be wasteful, unacceptable and heartbreaking,” Kansky said.

Stakeholders need to align the goals and mission of the HIE and the investment of services that are sustainable, he said. How services are built, for example, need to be executed within the context of sustainability and not just from a technology standpoint, Kansky said.

Organizations should consider participating in an existing HIE, which makes sense from a cost, resource and speed-to-market perspective. When organizations make that commitment, they will need to understand how to apply the seven principles and use their own judgment to make good, prudent decisions with the federal funding for HIEs, Kansky said.