Electronic health information exchanges (HIE) allow health care providers to improve patient care by efficiently and securely sharing a patient's digital medical information.
AMA's integrated health model initiative
Join a collaboration that supports a continuous learning environment to enable interoperable technology solutions and care models that evolve with real-world use and feedback.
Vision for interoperability
Our vision is to ensure the development, testing and use of new digital health tools that benefit patients and physicians by supporting the frictionless exchange—or interoperability—of medical information across hospitals, clinics and between the entire care team.
Adopting a system to enable the exchange of health information is vital to reach that goal.
Health information exchange adoption
Selecting a health information exchange (PDF) requires researching the benefits of each HIE provider as well as the different types of HIEs.
- Geography: Some HIEs serve a small geographic region, while others serve an entire state or multi-state region.
- Structure: Health information exchanges also differ in technical models where some act as conduits of health information and others serve as repositories of health data.
- Governance: A wide variance exists in the types of clinical data exchanged, services offered and legal infrastructure associated with HIEs.
Health information exchange adoption
- AMA/HIMSS podcast: "Episode #5 - Physician engagement with HIE"
- AMA/HIMSS podcast: "Episode #8 - Information exchange: HISPs and HIEs
- NORC’s final report on provider experiences with HIEs (PDF)
- Bipartisan policy center’s whitepaper on clinician perspectives on electronic health information sharing for transitions of care (PDF)
- State Health IT policy levers compendium
- George Washington University health information and the law project
Flexibility required for interoperability in Medicare's QPP
CMS’ implementation of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA), the historic Medicare reform law that repealed the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula, is expressed through the Quality Payment Program (QPP).
Medicare payment & delivery changes
Our advocacy efforts continue to simplify the complex federal program and health IT certification requirements that have hindered innovation in digital health interoperability.
The AMA's steady advocacy for QPP flexibility led to:
- CMS' removal of the computerized physician order entry (CPOE)
- CMS' removal of clinical decision support (CDS) measures from the Medicare Meaningful Use of EHRs program and the Advancing Care Information (ACI) component of Medicare’s Merit-based Incentive Payment System
- Extension of ACI program flexibilities through the 2018 reporting year
Understanding Medicare’s Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS)
ReachMD podcasts on QPP and EHRs
The AMA also works with other stakeholders to improve the future of interoperability.
Interoperability partnerships
The AMA is a founding member of The Sequoia Project, a nonprofit organization that provides program support for health IT interoperability initiatives, including eHealth Exchange and Carequality.
Learn about the Sequoia Project’s strategy for better patient matching.
The AMA is also a founding member of Carequality, a multistakeholder organization focused on providing seamless connectivity across networks.
Initiatives include the Carequality and CommonWell Health Alliance agreement to advance interoperability.
