“CareAccord” currently providing statewide health information exchange services in Oregon is continuing to expand according to the state’s Health Information Technology Oversight Council’s August newsletter. This is the result of having larger medical groups adopt Direct Secure Messaging a free method to send patient information electronically available to all their member physicians.
There were 56 account registrations by the end of July with August tallies anticipated to jump as medical groups and Coordinated Care Organizations register large number of providers. Participants are starting to use Direct Secure Messaging, though at this early stage, the messages are largely internal. This is expected to change as more participants sign on and start securely transmitting patient information to other participants.
CareAccord’s strategy will have representatives traveling around the state introducing the benefits of Direct Secure Messaging to more potential users, beginning with a trip to Eastern Oregon in this fall. In addition, there will be new educational materials about CareAccord’s services and the HIE made available. The materials include videos that explain how to register and use the service.
Go to http://cms.oregon.gov/OHA/OHPR/HITOC/pages/index.aspx to view the newsletter. CareAccord is sponsored by the Oregon Health Authority and operated by Harris Corp.
