Merger Creates California's Largest HIE

The California Integrated Data Exchange (Cal INDEX) and Inland Empire Health Information Exchange (IEHIE) recently announced a planned merger that will create one of the nation's most comprehensive nonprofit health information exchanges (HIEs).

Claudia Williams, former White House technology senior advisor, will lead the new organization as CEO, effective February 1, 2017. The merger, subject to regulatory approvals, is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2017 and will operate as a tax-exempt public benefit corporation under a new name.

The new HIE will combine the 11.7 million claims records from Cal INDEX founding members Blue Shield of California and Anthem Blue Cross with the 5 million clinical patient records of IEHIE and its 150 participating partners. HIEs help improve the quality of the patient experience, support collaboration and coordination and improve efficiencies by making it easier for doctors, hospitals, and other care providers to securely review, analyze, and share medical information across the health care system.

"The creation of this new statewide health information exchange by IEHIE and Cal INDEX is an important milestone in transforming California's health care system into a coordinated system that delivers higher quality and more efficient care to all Californians," says Dr. Bradley Gilbert, chairman of the IEHIE Board of Directors.

Mark Savage, chairman of the Cal INDEX Board of Directors and director of HIT policy and programs for the National Partnership for Women & Families, adds: "Claudia is the ideal candidate to lead this new entity. She is a strategic and transformational leader with national experience managing and scaling health information exchanges. With Claudia, California's statewide HIE gets the rare combination of breadth and depth."

Williams brings more than 25 years of health care technology experience to the role, most recently as senior advisor for Health Innovation and Technology in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Prior to the White House, Williams was the director of HIE for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.

"Claudia's track record of developing strategic partnerships with technology, provider, consumer, and health plan leaders will be invaluable as Cal INDEX and Inland Empire HIE add new partners and bring value to providers and patients throughout the state," Gilbert says.

Click here to view infographic: State health care information exchanges based on number of medical records (in millions).

"I'm thrilled by the opportunity to lead the new organization and collaborate with our partners to improve patient care for all Californians," Williams says. "Our goal is to deliver compelling products and services that support California's hospitals, providers, and patients in their efforts to improve care coordination, reduce inefficiencies, address gaps in care, and enhance patient experience."

Source: Amendola Communications LLC