The San Diego Beacon Community program leader Dr. Ted Chan announced the creation of the San Diego Regional Healthcare Information Exchange (SDRHIE), an independent community organization. The new organization will assume leadership and oversight of the San Diego Beacon Community’s health IT portfolio, a federally-funded three year initiative to build, strengthen, and demonstrate the benefits of health IT in the region.
The new community SDRHIE Board of Directors will operate with Robin Brown, Jr., Chief Executive for Scripps Green Hospital and Scripps Health and President of the Board. Other members of the inaugural SDRHIE Board includes leaders from across the San Diego healthcare community including hospital systems, community clinics, medical groups and health plans, and local government.
The Board will also be responsible for transitioning the San Diego Beacon Community from its initial federal funding to a self-sustaining entity supported by the community. As part of that effort, SDRHIE is in the process of applying for non-profit status with the state and federal government.
Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego, UC San Diego Health System, and the VA San Diego Healthcare System are currently active on the exchange with other healthcare organizations planning to join later this year.
Services offered include real-time transmission of electrocardiograms and patient information from ambulances to hospital emergency departments and electronic reporting of immunizations and infectious diseases to County public health officials. In the near future, SDRHIE will launch a secure messaging service to notify healthcare providers about their patients being seen in emergency departments or hospitals.
