NYeC Releases New Video: Independent Health Calls HEALTHeLINK “a Best Practice”
Independent Health: “We consider using HEALTHeLINK a best practice.”
HEALTHeLINK – the SHIN-NY’s Western New York Partner – Allows
Independent Health to “Better coordinate our members’ care.”
The New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC) today released the newest video in a series to celebrate the work of regional partners across the state improving healthcare delivery for all New Yorkers.
This video<https://www.nyehealth.org/independent-health/> features Independent Health<https://www.independenthealth.com/home>, an innovative Western New York health care plan started in 1980, which today serves nearly 380,000 members.
In the 2-minute 25-second video, Independent Health leaders talk about how its participation in the Statewide Health Information Network for New York (SHIN-NY), via HEALTHeLINK<https://wnyhealthelink.com/>, WNY’s regional Qualified Entity, improve healthcare outcomes for its members. The latest video is the second in a series featuring healthcare providers and other entities from across the state that benefit from using the SHIN-NY.
Michael Cropp, MD, MBA, President & CEO Independent Health, said: “I think that a regional health information exchange at this point is an absolute must for most health plans because of the nature of the relationship between health plans and providers and the fluidity in the markets that we all serve.”
“We consider using HEALTHeLINK a best practice,” said Christina Manciocchi, PharmD, BCACP, CDE, Independent Health Manager, Pharmacy, Population Health Management and Integrated Care. “Being able to utilize health information exchange like HEALTHeLINK really has allowed different clinical personnel at Independent Health to better coordinate our members care.
“Health Information Exchange has been really beneficial for everyone at Independent Health overall. It allows us to better serve our members and it really helps us to proactively identify any issues or concerns before they happen,” Manciocchi said.
The SHIN-NY (pronounced SHY-nee) is a statewide network that facilitates secure and confidential electronic sharing of patient data across the healthcare system to improve patient outcomes. It is comprised of and connects regional networks, including the Bronx RHIO, that allow participating providers and organizations to quickly access and share comprehensive patient health information and medical records. Statewide, 100 percent of hospitals and more than 100,000 healthcare professionals are connected to the SHIN-NY, which facilitates the exchange of health information (HIE) for patients across the state regardless of health system or network within which providers are based.
“Independent Health, with smart vision from its leadership, shows how using the SHIN-NY and our regional partners, like HEALTHeLINK, has become an invaluable tool – ‘a best practice,’ as Ms. Manciocchi so aptly put it – to improving healthcare outcomes for all New Yorkers, from Western New York to the tip of Long Island,” said Val Grey, CEO, New York eHealth Collaborative. “Previously, we released a video featuring BronxWorks, a community-based organization, that because of the SHIN-NY, was able to do an even better job of serving their patients and clients”
“As one of the founding stakeholders of HEALTHeLINK, Independent Health and our first board chair, Dr. Michael Cropp, have understood from very early on the value of health information exchange in helping to improve patient care and safety while also mitigate health care costs,” said Dan Porreca, HEALTHeLINK executive director. “We continue to focus on building our infrastructure to provide participating health care organizations, including health plans, with the clinical information they need to better support their patients and members, including expanding support for quality measurement programs.”
NYeC will be sharing this and all videos in the series with health care providers, community-based organizations, government, civic and business leaders, and the media as part of its ongoing education and informational campaign.
Future videos will focus on how the SHIN-NY has worked with other regional networks and a wide range of health care providers to improve community health in other parts of the state.
For more information about the SHIN-NY, see https://www.nyehealth.org/shin-ny/what-is-the-shin-ny/.
To see the new video, featuring Independent Health and HEALTHeLINK, click here<https://www.nyehealth.org/independent-health/>.
To see NYeC’s previous video, featuring BronxWorks and the Bronx RHIO, click here<https://www.nyehealth.org/bronxworks/>.
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About the New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC)
NYeC is a nonprofit organization working in partnership with the New York State Department of Health and others to improve healthcare by collaboratively leading, connecting, and integrating health information exchange across the state. www.nyehealth.org<http://www.nyehealth.org/>
About HEALTHeLINK
HEALTHeLINK is a collaboration among hospitals, physicians, health plans and other health care providers in the eight counties of western New York State to securely exchange clinical information to improve the quality of care, enhance patient safety and mitigate health care costs. HEALTHeLINK is a certified Qualified Entity and part of the Statewide Health Information Network for New York (SHIN-NY), which enables providers to access their patients’ data from across the state. Providers and patients can visit wnyhealthelink.com or @HEALTHeLINK on both Facebook and Twitter for more information.
About Independent Health:
Independent Health, a not-for-profit health plan headquartered in Buffalo, New York, serves nearly 350,000 members and provides innovative health care products and benefits designed to engage consumers in their health and well-being. Established in 1980, our comprehensive portfolio of progressive products includes HMO, POS, PPO and EPO products, Medicare and Medicaid plans, individual and small group Exchange products, consumer-directed plans, and health savings accounts, plus coverage for self-funded employers. Our subsidiaries and affiliate companies include pharmacy benefit management, specialty pharmacy and the Independent Health Foundation.
The company has been recognized nationally for its award-winning customer service, dedication to quality health care and unmatched relationships with physicians and providers. To learn more, go to https://www.independenthealth.com/about.
