Web Exclusive
Creating the first system for a U.S. government agency
Today, public health is a crucial issue and a dramatic opportunity for our company. We’re advocating for healthcare reforms and working with our many business partners, alliances and clients to apply emerging technologies and build smarter healthcare systems together.
In March 2009, we announced the first-of-a-kind electronic records exchange system to help speed the process of granting disability benefits for millions of Americans—a collaborative effort with the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) and MedVirginia, a regional health information exchange based in Richmond, Virginia. The system allows hospitals, doctors and other health care providers to share information electronically with SSA as the agency processes disability claims. The project is a step closer toward the Obama administration’s goal of an electronic health record for all Americans. It also shaves the amount of time to process requests for medical records needed to evaluate disability benefits from months to minutes.
The project, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) Cooperative, began just 14 months ago and represents the first health information exchange between a regional health information organization and a U.S. federal agency. The new system uses IBM’s Health Information Provider (HIP) solution to not only reduce processing times, but to also improve claims accuracy and reduce costs.
“This significant milestone demonstrates that disparate health systems across the U.S. can securely connect and exchange health information in order to enhance the quality, safety and cost-effectiveness of patient healthcare.”
Michael Matthews, Chief Executive Officer of MedVirginia
Improving patient care and reducing overall healthcare costs through smart technology systems is a key priority of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Allocated economic recovery funding includes $19 billion for grants and incentives that utilize health IT in order to save lives by reducing waste and decreasing medical errors.
Learn more within the Smarter Healthcare press kit section of our Web site.