Health information exchange is a key enabler of improving our health care system. The future of health care will depend on the effective incorporation of digital technologies to help streamline the practice of medicine and to lower costs. Regardless of whether we represent a public agency, for-profit or nonprofit health care facility or provider, the pressure to do more and better with less is a common denominator. The new nationwide health care model that is developing will force us all to think about how our facility, community and state will connect to the health care delivery system via information technology. Reliable, high-speed, high-quality connectivity is the crucial, but often overlooked, component for success. This is why OHN and the other national FCC Rural Health Care Pilot Programs are working to expand existing or build new necessary broadband infrastructure across the country to support the health IT requirements of the next generation health care delivery system. In the Columbia River Gorge area of Oregon, we have seen some great benefits from having a broadband infrastructure in place. Judy Richardson, MD, president of Mid-Columbia Medical Center’s medical staff, cites examples of improved patient care in rural areas by having the ability to share data over long distances, connecting MCMC in the Gorge with the Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU) in Portland.

provides federal protections for personal health information held by covered entities and gives patients an array of rights with respect to that information. At the same time, the Privacy Rule is balanced so that it permits the disclosure of personal health information needed for patient care and other important purposes. The Security Rule specifies a series of administrative, physical, and technical safeguards for covered entities to use to assure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic protected health information.

Electronic Health Records An electronic health record (EHR) is computer-based document that is used by your doctor, your doctor’s staff, or a hospital. An EHR (similar to your old paper medical chart) contains health information from your doctor and other health care providers. A typical EHR has information about your health conditions, allergies, treatments, tests, and medications.

Electronic prescribing or e-prescribing (eRx) is a way for your doctor and other health care providers to send your prescriptions to your pharmacy electronically. Instead of writing out a prescription and having you take it to your drugstore, your doctor orders your medication through her office computer, which then sends a secure electronic prescription to your pharmacist.

Personal Health Records Your personal health record (PHR) is an online document with information about your health (and the health of family members) that you keep up to date for easy reference. Using your PHR, you can keep track of your family’s health information, such as the date of your children’s immunizations, last physical exam, major illnesses and operations, allergies, or a list of family medicines.