VITL operates the statewide health information exchange network for the state of Vermont. The short video below discusses health information exchange and the benefits for Vermonters.
The Vermont Health Information Exchange (VHIE) operates under the "opt-in" model. That means no individual's protected health information is shared between providers on the VHIE unless the individual specifically consents in writing. Other rules controlling the use of data for patients who give consent are in a set of written policies adopted by VITL's board.
Lab Results Delivery
One of the first uses of the VHIE has been to send test results from labs to the EHR of the physician who ordered the test. Results arrive in the physician EHR inbox as soon as the lab result is processed, greatly reducing turnaround time and the labor involved with handling results sent on paper. Physicians say by using VITL's service, they are able to receive lab results in their EHR the same day the test was ordered. Electronic results are available from the following labs:
Northwestern Medical Center, St. Albans
Rutland Regional Medical Center, Rutland
Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, Bennington
Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, Brattleboro
Fletcher Allen Health Care, Burlington (coming soon)
Blueprint Medical Home Pilot Project
VITL is providing comprehensive data services to the Vermont Department of Health's Blueprint for Health Initiative and its Web-Based Clinical Information System (WBCIS).
Physicians participating in the Blueprint for Health record data about their patients in a registry or an electronic medical record. For those physicians with an in-house electronic system, data is sent over a secure connection to VITL's data center, which is located at GE Healthcare in South Burlington, Vt. Data is processed and made available in the WBCIS (a secure browser-based application) to the physicians and other providers caring for the patients. Physicians without an in-house system enter information about their patients directly into the WBCIS; external systems, such as a hospital laboratory, may also send electronic data to the WBCIS on their behalf.
Using the WBCIS, physicians are able to better track the progress of all of their patients, both those with chronic conditions and those just presenting symptoms. The first set of conditions that physicians are monitoring includes diabetes, asthma, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. They will subsequently add additional conditions. By using this comprehensive information system, and collaborating with the other care providers in their community, practitioners are able to design better interventions and more effectively manage the health of their patient populations.
Standards Based Exchange
The VHIE is one of the first exchanges in the country to use the standards endorsed by the national Health Information Technology Standards Panel (HITSP) and IHE Profiles. This enables participating providers whose electronic health records systems are compliant with these standards to be connected quickly and at a significantly lower cost.
For more information about the VHIE, contact Steve Larose at 802-223-4100, ext. 102 or email slarose@vitl.net
