Health Information Exchange in Georgia, Research Paper Example

The need to make use of IT applications in completing health-related operations in a large context specifically imposes on the possibility of making every single process of healthcare development collaboratively effective in serving the people’s needs. Directing the attention of the healthcare industry into something that would improve their work and distinctively define its competence in responding to the human need for excellent health service is the primary aim of implementing Health Information Exchange System. In the United States, such a status in healthcare development is being considered by the government seriously as it could promise a great deal on advancement in relation to how the needs of the people are given specific attention to, thus dramatically lowering down the cost of expenses that is directed to healthcare services nationwide. Nevertheless, the status by which such manner of operation is still being considered state-by-state in the US and likely, its application is based upon the primary needs of the public served by the state. Since it is believed that each state has a different need on healthcare services compared to others, it could be realized that somehow, the condition of accepting the process of implementing Health Information System would be based on different reasons. The implementation of HIE in one state would be consistent on the referential bearing of its relation to how the healthcare needs of the public shall be responded to by the local government.

In Georgia, the Georgia Department of Community Health specifically gives attention to such condition of bringing its healthcare institutions into seeing the possibility of using IT systems to improve its information storage and distribution system. In 2011, it has been reported that the GDCH received the approval on pursuing the process of establishing HIE in the state including all the healthcare institutions in the area. According to commissioner David Cook, it is the top initiative of GDCH to implement HIE as a statewide system and not as a state-run operation (GDCH, web). This means that the operation of the system is to be a collaborative work between linked healthcare institutions within the said state.

To note, the implementation of HIE is expected to reach five primary goals all directed to the improvement of the healthcare system handled in the state. First among all the goals is the enabling of the prompt access to different complicated and critical health information about the patients and their healthcare providers to be able to promote and ensure proper healthcare attention provided to the said patients. The second targeted goal is that of the need to support meaningful and effective use of EHR technology among all institutions concerned. The third goal is focused on protecting the privacy considerations over the information shared through the network where HIE is supposed to be shared between collaboratively operating organizations in Georgia and towards other states as well. The fourth goal is directed to the strengthening of coordinated care, while the fifth goal aims to reduce the healthcare cost spend every year by the people and the by government in an overall context. Through noting these expectations, GDCH believes that their role in pursuing the application of HIE would better improve the current healthcare system they have to serve their people and the state’s desire to progress further in the future through having healthier individuals serving as the backbone of their economy.

True, like other stats in the US that already embraced the application of HIE in their own systems of healthcare provision operations, Georgia is hoping to bring their community into a more confident state. This confidence is especially hoped to come from the capacity of IT in improving the way they serve the needs of their people relating to health and lifestyle development operations.

Reference:

Health Information Exchange. (2011). Georgia Department of Community Health Receives Approval for Statewide Health Information Exchange. http://dch.georgia.gov/press-releases/2011-03-30/georgia-department-community-health-receives-approval-statewide-health. Retrieved on July 26, 2013.