Health Information Exchange of Delaware

Health Information Exchange of Delaware
Name	Health Information Exchange of Delaware
Type	Health information organization
Location	Dover, Delaware
Established	2009
Key people	Board of Directors

Contents

Health Information Exchange of Delaware

The Health Information Exchange of Delaware operates as a statewide health information network that connects ChristianaCare, Bayhealth Medical Center, Nemours Foundation, A.I. duPont Hospital for Children, Beebe Healthcare, Wilmington Hospital and other Christiana Hospital-area providers to enable electronic clinical data sharing among Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, Delaware Health Information Network, University of Delaware, and regional health systems. It supports interoperability initiatives linked to national programs such as Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Meaningful Use, Medicaid, and Health Level Seven International standards to promote care coordination across Sussex County, Delaware, New Castle County, Delaware, and Kent County, Delaware.

Overview

The exchange facilitates secure exchange of patient health information among ChristianaCare, Bayhealth Medical Center, Nemours Foundation, A.I. duPont Hospital for Children, Beebe Healthcare, Saint Francis Hospital (Wilmington, Delaware), Wesley College (Delaware), and other clinical entities using standards from Health Level Seven International, IHE (Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise), Direct Project, National Health Information Network and tools aligned with Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology policies. It interoperates with federal systems such as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Social Security Administration, and regional initiatives like Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center to support population health, quality reporting, and clinical decision support across the Delaware Medical Society, Delaware Nurses Association, and health plans including Highmark and Aetna.

The organization was formed in response to statewide efforts that involved stakeholders such as Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, Delaware Health Care Commission, ChristianaCare, Nemours Foundation, and foundations like Clarence A. Robinson Foundation and philanthropic support models similar to Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grants. Early pilots drew on technical frameworks from Health Level Seven International and collaborations with vendors used by Epic Systems, Cerner Corporation, and Allscripts. Federal incentives from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and guidance from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology accelerated adoption, while milestones included patient indexing, query-based exchange, and integration with state reporting systems such as those used by the Delaware Division of Public Health.

The exchange is overseen by a board comprising representatives from ChristianaCare, Bayhealth Medical Center, Nemours Foundation, A.I. duPont Hospital for Children, Beebe Healthcare, Delaware Health Care Commission, and payer partners like Highmark and Aetna. Operational management features executive leadership, technical operations, legal counsel, and clinical advisory councils drawing membership from Delaware Medical Society, Delaware Nurses Association, American Hospital Association, and patient advocacy groups similar to National Partnership for Women & Families. Policy oversight aligns with state statutes enacted by the Delaware General Assembly and coordination with agencies such as Delaware Department of Health and Social Services.

Services include patient matching, query and retrieve, secure messaging, consent management, clinical data repositories, and public health reporting, integrating products from vendors like Epic Systems, Cerner Corporation, Allscripts, and standards from Health Level Seven International and IHE (Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise). The technical stack uses terminology services influenced by SNOMED International, LOINC, and RxNorm and deploys security frameworks recommended by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. Connectivity options incorporate Direct secure messaging, APIs compatible with SMART on FHIR, and interfaces for laboratory partners such as LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics.

Privacy and security practices adhere to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, state statutes from the Delaware General Assembly, and guidance from the Office for Civil Rights (United States Department of Health and Human Services). Consent models and data use agreements are negotiated among participants including ChristianaCare, Bayhealth Medical Center, Nemours Foundation, and payers like Highmark and Aetna, with privacy reviews informed by standards from National Institute of Standards and Technology. Breach response and audit capabilities reference frameworks used by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and compliance expectations established under programs such as Meaningful Use and Promoting Interoperability.

Participants span hospitals (e.g., ChristianaCare, Bayhealth Medical Center, Nemours Foundation, A.I. duPont Hospital for Children, Beebe Healthcare), ambulatory practices affiliated with Wilmington University and University of Delaware health programs, laboratories including LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics, behavioral health providers, long-term care facilities, and payers like Highmark and Aetna. Engagement activities include clinical advisory meetings with Delaware Medical Society, patient outreach with organizations resembling National Partnership for Women & Families, and technical partnerships with vendors such as Epic Systems and Cerner Corporation to align on implementation, training, and workflows.

The exchange has contributed to reduced duplicate testing, improved care transitions among ChristianaCare, Bayhealth Medical Center, Nemours Foundation, and A.I. duPont Hospital for Children, and enhanced public health reporting to the Delaware Division of Public Health. Performance metrics track query volumes, patient matching accuracy, and timeliness of data exchange, benchmarked against national programs overseen by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology and standards set by Health Level Seven International. Future directions emphasize expanded adoption of SMART on FHIR APIs, enhanced analytics partnerships with academic institutions such as University of Delaware and Wilmington University, integration with statewide behavioral health systems, and alignment with federal initiatives from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology to support value-based care and population health.

Category:Health care in Delaware