Operational Health Information Exchanges Show Substantial Growth, But Long-Term Funding Remains A Concern

• Published in: Health Affairs Vol. 32; no. 8; pp. 1486 - 1492
• Main Authors: Adler-Milstein, Julia, Bates, David W., Jha, Ashish K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States The People to People Health Foundation, Inc., Project HOPE 01.08.2013
• Subjects: Costs and Cost Analysis - trends; Data Collection; Data exchange; Electronic health records; Electronic Health Records - economics; Electronic Health Records - organization & administration; Electronic Health Records - trends; Financing, Government - trends; Forecasting; Health Information Management - economics; Health Information Management - organization & administration; Health Information Management - trends; Health promotion; Hospitals; Humans; Information technology; Meaningful Use - economics; Meaningful Use - organization & administration; Meaningful Use - trends; Polls & surveys; Quality of care; Studies; United States; United States; United States > US; Health Information Exchange; Information Technology
• ISSN: 0278-2715; 2694-233X; 1544-5208; 2694-233X
• DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2013.0124

Policy makers are actively promoting the electronic exchange of health information to improve the quality and efficiency of health care. We conducted a national survey of organizations facilitating health information exchange, to assess national progress. We found that 30 percent of hospitals and 10 percent of ambulatory practices now participate in one of the 119 operational health information exchange efforts across the United States, substantial growth from prior surveys. However, we also found that 74 percent of health information exchange efforts report struggling to develop a sustainable business model. Our findings suggest that despite progress, there is a substantial risk that many current efforts to promote health information exchange will fail when public funds supporting these initiatives are depleted.